Burning Moons
by Written Parody
Summary: All seven chapters of Zutara Week 2010. Family, Change, Pain, Date, Harmony, AU and Storm. Zutara, Sukka and Taang. Rated T for violence, language and very mild suggestions.
1. Family

**Day One: Family

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**Summary: **A new war is threatening to break, and the only way to prevent it from happening is to protect one man. The only problem is that one man is Ozai. How much will Zuko sacrifice to keep everybody safe when his mother is thrown into the mess as well? And will his advice for Katara's confusion make things better for her and Aang or worse?

**AN: **Firstly, happy Zutara Week everybody! I'm seriously looking forward to this one: I have a feeling it's going to be epic. Hopefully I add to that epicness instead of taking away from it. You can tell me if I won or failed in a review, thanks ;P

Anyway, this is "Family". At first it was much, much shorter than this, but it resembled another fic of mine too much. So I scrapped version one and did it over again. What appeared was thirty two written pages of… Well, I don't know what it is: I can't decide if I sort of like this piece or if I really, really hate it. *shrugs* I guess it's your call.

**Edit: **I started having a panic attack when I saw that we couldn't post the next day's fic before midnight EST, because I live in the bottom bowels of the earth and I didn't have a CLUE what EST was in comparison to my timezone. In a panic I went on MSN where a good friend helped me out. Thanks, Miss Awesome (you know who you are ;)). I promised I'd dedicate this one to you for your help, so here it is.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing at all. Which is probably a good thing, considering how long and cruddy this is.

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The silence within the Fire Nation was eerie and it made her shiver. _At least the silence means all is well_, she reasoned with herself as she walked along the long, empty hallway. _Either that or they were all slaughtered before they could scream_… She shook her head to rid it of the images and thoughts, and her companion noticed the gesture.

"You okay?" There was concern laced in his voice, and she felt him lean closer to check her for injury.

She nodded. "I'm fine. I just can't believe we only got a two-month break between the last war and the threat of this new one. And, as if more battles aren't bad enough, this time we're fighting to keep Ozai _alive_."

"It's messed up, isn't it?" He rubbed his pony-tailed hair and sighed. "But Aang's right: if Ozai is killed by these guys a proper war will start again, one that will involve the whole world."

"Yeah, I know," she said, frustrated. "It's just we're putting out lives in danger for that… that…"

"I know." His voice was heavy. "On the bright side, it could be worse. I mean, the egotistical masochist you have to protect could be your disowned father."

"Zuko _has _got the crap end of this one, hasn't he? As usual," she ended in a mutter.

They reached the huge double doors that led to the meeting room that been converted into their headquarters. Heads turned as they entered, but as soon as they were recognized the room relaxed.

"Toph, Sokka!" Aang's voice was highly relieved as he came over to them. "See anything?"

"Nope," Sokka replied, stretching his hands above his head. "Everything was quiet. Creepy quiet."

"That's what everybody's been saying." Aang sounded worn. "They know they have us trapped and hyped up and they're just waiting for an opening…" His teeth clenched together with an audible grinding noise.

"Are Zuko and Katara still on their patrol?" Toph asked, not feeling either of them in the room.

"Yeah. I wish they'd come back already, though…"

"Why? Is Lord Jerkness being a pain again?" She could feel Sokka shooting a dark glance over at the figure heavily chained to the furthest wall.

"Well yeah… But there's something else too…"

Aang gestured over his shoulder and Toph immediately focused on the person he was referring to. She was a stranger; somebody Toph had never met before in her life. She seemed tense like the rest of the people in the room, but it was a different tenseness. Her heart rhythm was both excited and full of dread, as though something life-changing was about to happen. Iroh came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. It clicked in Toph's head the same time it clicked in Sokka's.

"No way…" he breathed. "Is that…?"

"Lady Ursa," Aang confirmed. "They found her two days ago and she arrived here about an hour ago."

"Does Zuko know yet?" Toph was curiously following Ursa's vibrations.

"Do you really think Zuko would be out scouting the gardens if he knew his mom was in here?" Aang asked.

"What a time for her to finally pitch up," Sokka muttered. "Right in the middle of another nightmare."

"Suki's here," Toph informed him, pointing to the door just before it opened.

Sokka hurried over to his girlfriend and kissed her in relief, forgetting about Ursa for the moment. Toph suddenly started towards Iroh, puling a surprised Aang with her. She wanted to know more about Zuko's mom, and so she had to get closer to 'see' her better. And Aang was her backup.

Ursa noticed Toph's stare and it took a lot for her not to stare back just as curiously. After getting over his shock and very long greeting, Iroh had introduced her to the Avatar and had then started to tell her about the rest of Aang's little 'family'. She had listened attentively as he described Toph, Suki, Sokka and Katara to her, but she had refused to let him mention anything about her son.

"I want to find out about him for myself, Iroh. Besides, I do not need you to tell me what he looks like: I will know my son as soon as I see him," she had told her brother-in-law firmly.

Ever since then her heart had leapt every time someone had entered the room. But she could tell none of the men that came in were her son, and disappointment settled into her gut each time. She'd gone so long without holding him that the compulsion was now almost painful. She saw Iroh glance at her again with that same look on his face as if he desperately wanted to warn her about something. She resolutely raised her chin and he sighed and let it drop for the umpteenth time. She briefly deliberated whether to let Iroh tell her whatever it was- maybe it was something very important she _had _to prepare herself for?- but decided against it. She would take things as they came.

The door opened again and her heart leapt to her throat as her eyes immediately focused on the entrant. It was the Kyoshi Warrior Iroh had called Suki, not her son. She slumped back and tried to stifle her disappointment by imaging what Zuko would look like for the hundredth time. He would be tall, and probably muscular. He would have her eyes (something she was highly pleased about) yet he would look more like Ozai, as he always had. She wondered if he would have long hair, but ruled it out quickly; he'd always hated letting it get too long. She imagined his smile, and her heart twisted. She'd missed him so much she could not express it in words, but she was also scared he would not be able to forgive her for leaving. Her fingers worriedly entwined as nervousness claimed her again.

The Earthbender and the Avatar came over and engaged Iroh in conversation, meaning she was free from his looks for a while. The door opened very quietly and, out of reflex, she looked over at it. Her interest perked as a dark-skinned girl entered. By the Water Tribe clothes she was wearing Ursa identified her as Katara, the Master Waterbender from the South Pole. Katara was talking to somebody and Ursa was just about to glance away again when her companion entered and her entire body froze.

It was Zuko. It was her son. He was turned mostly away from her, but she knew. She _knew_.

Some sort of explosion took place inside her and, before she was aware of what she was doing, she was suddenly walking towards him, her full attention focused on her son. He was handsome, she realized with a jolt of fierce of pride. And he looked so strong, and Katara was looking at him with so much respect… Then he turned a bit, and she stopped dead, feeling as though she'd been slapped and rolled over all at once.

His face… What had happened to his face? She now knew what Iroh had wanted to warn her about all those times. But no verbal explanation could have prepared her for… Horror and pain washed through her in tidal waves along with the desire to skewer whoever had hurt her son. When she found out who had done it… She took a deep breath to steady herself, suddenly wondering if just walking up to him was such a good idea. But the compulsion and desire to hold her son again was too strong to fight, and she started forward once more.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Iroh glance next to him. Finding her gone he began searching the room until he found her again. Seeing where she was heading he froze, and all others following his gaze did the same until there were at least six pairs of eyes on her. She continued on anyway, but did not make any noise or attempt to break the conversation between the Waterbender and her son. When she was less than three meters away from Zuko Katara noticed her and glanced up. Her blue eyes widened in shocked realization and she stared at Ursa in awe. Zuko saw her look and glanced behind him in mid-sentence. He froze completely. There was one second of loaded silence.

"Mom?"

His voice was soft and slightly choked, as though he couldn't bring himself to really believe she was there. A sob tore itself from Ursa's throat and she rushed forward and flung her arms around him. Zuko did not hesitate to return the embrace and Ursa crushed him closer, holding him tighter than she had ever held anything in her life.

"My baby," she cried, stroking his hair as he buried his face in her shoulder. "My baby boy. Oh, my baby."

Katara smiled at the sight and then turned away and headed towards her brother. Sokka had a strange look on his face as he watched Ursa and Zuko, and Katara squeezed his hand as Zuko got held by the once missing core of his family.

-x-x-x-

The attacking force sent a blow at them that made the walls shake. Zuko snarled at the obvious damage his palace was taking, but he could do nothing more than that. There were yells from outside and Aang turned to the young Firelord.

"We have to get him somewhere else!"

"Where, though? Where can we possible go that they won't see us going?" Sokka was beyond frustrated; his knuckles were white from stress.

"The wilderness," Zuko said without turning to them. "There are huge caves there we can use as shelters. Toph and Aang can make an underground passage from here to the middle of the wastelands."

"Good plan, but they'll still be able to follow us through the tunnels," Suki pointed out.

"Not if we make the entrance unstable so that it's easy to collapse after us," Sokka said slowly. "That way we can close off the entrance and they _won't _be able to follow."

"You go, I'll keep them busy here," Zuko said.

As Katara turned to follow the rest he caught her arm. She turned back in surprise to find him fixing her with a pleading glance. She smiled gently.

"I'll take care of her," she promised, squeezing his hand as she freed her arm.

Zuko nodded his thanks and she rushed down the hallways after the rest. Toph and Aang were in front with Ursa, Iroh and a very tough-looking guard in the middle keeping a close hold and eye on Ozai. Suki, Sokka and her brought up the rear as the possession sped silently down to the lowest levels of the palace, where the tunnels the Firebenders had used on the Day of Black Sun started. Toph blasted open these tunnels with ease and then took the lead, allowing Aang to fall slightly behind as he grappled with not being able to see so well in the dark. Finally she reached a spot she deemed perfect and she made the rest top. Iroh lit a torch and the light brought relief to those blind in the dark.

Even with the presence of light nobody made a sound and all eyes were trained on Toph and Aang. Both of them crouched back on their haunches, their fists raised in front of their faces. Then, in perfect sync, they separated their hands and the wall of the tunnel started to part. Toph stopped suddenly, her head jerking around in shock.

"Somebody's coming!" she hissed, and everybody but a chained and gagged Ozai fell into a battle stance.

Katara, nearest to the coming people, slowly sent her water up into the air and began to make ice crystals, ready to drop them on the intruders just before they came around the corner. Two sets of footsteps sounded and everybody held their breath. Then suddenly Toph straightened up.

"Wait! They're not enemies, they're-"

But Katara had already unleashed her crystals, and a very surprised yelp issued from around the corner. A yelp that Katara recognized at once.

"Dad?"

She rushed around the bend to find Hakoda and Bato getting up from where they'd flung themselves to avoid the shards of ice. Katara ran and embraced her father, and he chuckled at her red-faced apology.

"You can never be too careful," he said with a smile.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sokka asked, grinning as he shook hands with Bato.

"We're part of a huge army that has, for the past three weeks, been planning an ambush on the people who are after Ozai. The ambush is planned, but it will take time to execute, so we were sent to help you guys keep him safe until the fight is over."

Ozai made a derisive noise behind his gag, but nobody paid him any attention. Toph, however, was frowning.

"Wait… You make it sound like we'll just be sitting quietly someplace else while your guys finish those pests off."

"Sorry, Toph, but that's exactly what it means. The ambush is almost completely foolproof."

"Where's the justice in that!" Toph threw up her hands angrily. "We've been stuck _helping _this jerk for almost a month and we don't get _any _part in the butt-kicking? _Where _on my forehead does it say I'm a _babysitter_?"

Hakoda chuckled despite himself. "If any of them manage to follow us, I promise we'll let you do the… butt-kicking. But for now we need to get to those caves Zuko briefed us about."

With a growled sigh Toph turned back to the wall and she and Aang again started to make the new tunnel's entrance. Sokka zipped in after them, placing four poles of wood under each other at the top of the entrance.

"These poles will hold the entrance open," he explained as they worked. "As soon as they're cut, though, this front part will collapse. Its collapse will cause the section behind it to collapse and, if we're lucky, the section behind _that _will follow. That way they have no way of following us."

Hakoda looked impressed, and Sokka flushed with pride.

"Sokka and I will stay behind to wait for Zuko and any other allies," Katara said. "You guys go ahead."

Her father squeezed her shoulder as he passed and Aang shot her a 'good luck' look before he and Toph began bending the rest of the passage. Ozai, still bound and gagged, was passed into the passage and his defiant refusal to move disappeared at the warning look his brother gave him. Soon the sounds of the rest of their group disappeared and Katara and Sokka were left in silence.

Time stretched on and on with no change. She was just about to suggest that they go and look for Zuko when sounds of a raging battle reached their ears. Both Water Tribe teens retreated further into the passage and took a battle stance, ready to fend off attackers before cutting the poles. Zuko came into view, fending off five warriors, two whom were Firebenders. Zuko narrowly avoided having his arm skewered to the wall, and he used his attacker's lack of balance to send him crashing to the ground, bringing two of his comrades down with him.

"Zuko!" Sokka hollered at him.

Zuko turned and saw the tunnel, but was forced to look away again as the remaining two warriors bore down on him. Katara knocked them back with a wave of water and Zuko scrambled towards the tunnel, his face grim as sounds of many footsteps started down the hallway. Sokka's breath suddenly caught as a realization hit him.

"The last two sections won't cave in fast enough…" he whispered in a kind of terrified awe. "They'll still have time to follow us…"

Katara stared at him in horror, her face paling at the thought. They would have to stay and fight, then. They had no other choice; they had to protect their family… Zuko stopped suddenly, even thought the footsteps and shouts were getting closer. He looked up at the poles and a calm yet determined expression crossed his face.

"No!" Katara understood and she launched herself towards him.

But Zuko had already sent a volley of fire at the poles, and with one big snap they all broke. As the rocks began to rumble Zuko looked down and caught a now still Katara's gaze for an instant. His eyes were calm and hers were horrified. Then the peace shattered as the rocks cascaded down and began to block the entrance to the passage. The last thing they saw was Zuko turning to face the coming horde.

As darkness surrounded them Katara started forward frantically, but Sokka's arms caught her and stopped her second advance.

"We have to go." His voice was hoarse. "This place is going to cave in soon. We have to go."

He tugged her and she followed him slowly and unwillingly, her heart breaking with fear and betrayal as she turned her back on her friend and instead hurried to safety. It took them quite a long time to catch up with the rest, and they walked in silence the whole way, even when they tripped over a stray rock in the total darkness. Eventually the sounds of shifting earth reached their ears, and as they rounded one of the many bends in the tunnel they were suddenly blinking in bright light.

"Finally! We were starting to get worried." Suki's voice was relieved.

"Where's Zuko?" Toph stopped her bending to turn and look in their general direction.

Sokka and Katara gave each other a long, sad look.

"He cut the poles," Sokka finally mumbled. "The people were in the passage and closing in fast and they would have been able to follow. So he… cut the poles. To save us."

Silence followed, yet Katara could almost hear the hearts breaking. Who knew what those people would do to Zuko when they caught him? Especially seeing as he was the son of the man they were after. They wouldn't care that Zuko was good; he was family of Ozai, and that was all that would matter to them. After a long pause Toph turned back and began to bend again. Aang followed suit after a while. Nobody spoke a word, and the only sounds that were heard were the sounds of shifting rocks and Ursa's unsteady breathing.

-x-x-x-

It had taken them nearly a day to finally reach the wastelands and they hadn't stopped to rest once. The morale in the group was at an all time low; everybody was tired, hungry, frustrated and worried. Toph finally felt caves above them and they started to ascend, looking forward to being above ground again. Finally they broke through to a very large, oval-shaped cave, and the fresh air seemed more wonderful to them than gold. But as soon as Aang had taken a sweeping look around the cave he turned to go back into the tunnel.

"Aang, where are you going?" Hakoda sounded shocked.

"I'm going back," Aang said steadily.

"That's crazy," Bato said, grabbing his arm. "It's dangerous down there, even without the horde of people waiting to slit your throat."

Aang ripped his arm free and turned to face them with a glowering expression.

"You don't _get it_," he growled, pointing harshly to the tunnel. "That's my _brother _back there. And he's probably hurt or captured or… I'm going back for him." His face was set.

"We're coming with you," Katara said quietly. Aang turned to argue with her but she shook her head firmly. "You'll need help and somebody to heal him. And he's my brother, too.

"Some people have to stay behind…" Sokka said hesitantly.

Suki winced and raised her hand reluctantly. "I will." _Just get him back to us_, her eyes added silently.

Aang turned to Toph. "Toph…"

"No!" she said vehemently. "No _way_!" I'm not going to sit here doing nothing while Sparky-"

"If something happens here they'll need an Earthbender!" Aang said rather heatedly, panic making him touchy.

Toph screamed in frustration and sent three rocks into the cave wall.

"Fine! Okay, fine! Ugh Just… You'd better kick their butts good and proper, then!"

"Be careful," Hakoda told then sternly, worry on his face.

While Sokka reassured his father, Katara's gaze found Ursa and Iroh.

"He'll be fine, I promise," she whispered, and both of them smiled small smiles of thanks at her.

Then Aang, Sokka and Katara hurried back into the passage, carrying their single torch high and their one supply bag close as they raced back towards Zuko. They wanted to reach him in less than a day, but the journey was long and eventually exhaustion and hunger forced them to stop.

"It feels so wrong to be sleeping while Zuko…" Sokka trailed off as he stared into the impenetrable darkness.

Katara's hand found his and squeezed, and the Water Tribe warrior was pretty sure her other hand was holding Aang's. And that was how they slowly drifted off to sleep; linked as a family.

-x-x-x-

They had no idea what time of day it was when they woke up, only that they had slept for longer than they had intended. They set off towards the Fire Nation palace at a run, and they kept the pace as fast as they could the whole way. Eventually they reached the fallen rocks that marked the entrance and Aang quietly began to shift them aside while Sokka made plans.

"The outside passage splits into three. I'll carry on going straight, Aang will take the left and Katara the right. We'll meet back here as soon as possible, even if we found nothing."

Katara nodded and then blinked as she caught sight of Aang's handiwork.

"Aang, that's brilliant!" she whispered, a grin stretching over her face as Aang blushed in pleasure.

He had cleared a zigzagging path for them through the wall of rock so that from the front it would look like there was no path at all: the rocks would appear to form a solid wall.

"Pathway camouflage," the Avatar grinned.

And then they were serious again, holding their breaths and scooting down the passage and splitting into their separate forks of the passage. Katara was both relieved and horrified at the lit torches on the walls. They meant she could see where she was going, but they also meant she had a much better chance of being spotted. As soon as she'd had that thought she heard footsteps approaching around the corner in front of her. She froze in panic; there was no place she could hide. With a mental curse she backed up so that she was right against the wall and then she slowly uncorked her water skin. There was suddenly a slithering noise behind her and a hand shot out and covered her mouth. She struggled but warm arms pulled her back into a secret compartment in the wall that had been hidden just a moment before.

"Be quiet!" a voice hissed in her ear.

She nearly cried out in relief as she heard the voice, and she stopped struggling against the arms that pulled her right into the hole. The panel was slid closed again and Katara was plummeted into darkness. She held her breath as the people came around the corer, and sighed in relief when their footsteps echoed away. They hand disappeared from her mouth and she twisted to where she assumed her savior was.

"Zuko! Thank the spirits you're… They didn't catch you."

She heard Zuko snort. "Like they'd ever be able to capture _me_. Honestly."

Her hands groped for him and they found his shoulders.

"How badly are you hurt? Can you make it back to the tunnel?"

"I'm fine," Zuko responded, reaching around her to slide back the panel cautiously.

Katara was suddenly aware of how small the compartment really was and a blush crept up her face. Luckily it was too dark for Zuko to notice.

"It's clear; let's go," he whispered.

She folded herself out of the hole first and then stood in a bending stance while Zuko climbed out after her. She heard him groan very quietly, but before she could turn to assess the damage he'd grabbed her arm and begun to tug her down the passage. It was an automatic instinct for her to wrap her arm around him to support him, and he did not object to the action. It was when they slunk around the next corner that she felt her forearm become wet. She pulled it towards her in surprise and then felt her breath catch in her throat. Her arm was covered in blood, and it wasn't hers. In alarm she looked at Zuko but he just shook his head, telling her that then was not the time. She scowled but then took a stronger grip on him and the two continued their journey to the tunnel.

Zuko pulled back in surprise as they reached the seemingly blocked entrance, but Katara guided him forwards and swiftly navigated through the zigzags. They were the first back and she was slightly grateful; the space and light were bad enough for healing already without people crowding around. As she lowered Zuko to the ground he hissed, his face twisting from the calm mask he'd worn since she'd found him. She bit her lip and then gently swatted his hands away from his abdomen, finally noticing the darker splotches on his red shirt.

"Lift up your arms," she told him quietly.

After a second's hesitation he complied slowly, his ears turning red at the humiliation of being treated like a child. Katara ignored this and instead focused on removing his shirt gently. Her breath caught at the sight that greeted her. His ribs were swollen and black and there was a large gash from his hip to his back that was still oozing blood. His left shoulder was caked with dry blood and bruised, and his chest bore the scratches of a spiked metal ball.

She exhaled sharply. "This is going to take some time to heal…"

"Just do what you can for my sides and ankle," Zuko muttered. "I'll be able to walk fine then."

She barely heard the second part of his sentence, though, as her attention was now solely focused on finding out what was wrong with his ankle. She started with his left leg as it was closer to her, and she gently felt along it.

"The other one," Zuko said in a slightly sullen voice; he hated being sick or wounded. "It's near the- Aah!"

"Sorry!" Katara immediately removed her hand. "Sorry…"

This time she did not squeeze but instead gently removed his boot, wincing when she heard his breath catch. His ankle was swollen and blue but it didn't look broken, a fact she was very thankful for. She covered her hands in water from her skin and gently placed them over Zuko's foot. She felt him relax as the glowing water brought the swelling down and healed the sprain. When she was done he rotated his ankle experimentally, and then reached forward to pull his boot back on. Katara's hands stopped him.

"I'm not going to let you hurt those any more than they're already hurt," she told him sternly, pointing to his ribs.

Zuko growled in frustration but let her dress him without a word. Katara had to work hard to hide a smile at his obvious dislike at being fussed over. When she was done with his shoe she took a deep breath and turned her attention back to his torso. There was a scuffling sound and her healing water turned into a weapon as both benders froze.

"Hey, you found him!" Sokka called quietly as he rounded the corner. Zuko and Katara both relaxed, but Sokka's eyes widened as he saw the Firebender's torso. "Jeeze… They really kicked your butt," he observed with a low whistle.

"Maybe, but you should see the other guys," Zuko grinned back, and Sokka laughed quietly.

"Stop talking," Katara scolded Zuko, placing her glowing hands on his abdomen.

Zuko sighed as the water began to heal him, and then he leaned his head against the wall and shut his eyes. Sokka watched silently as the bruises around Zuko's ribs faded to a dark blue and the gash around his side stopped bleeding. His shoulder, once washed, proved to be the easiest thing to heal on him besides his ankle and Katara smiled. After a long time of healing she sighed and let the dirty water fall into her skin again. Zuko opened his eyes and breathed deeply to experiment.

"It's all I can do for now," Katara apologized, glowering at his still-swollen ribs.

"Thank you," he said sincerely, and she couldn't help but smile.

Aang's return was announced by the sounds of the zigzagging pathway being filled with rocks again. He emerged carrying a sack with him, his clothes dirty from the rubble.

"I found some food for us," he said, holding up the sack. "But there was no sign of Z-" His gray eyes found the Firelord and they lightened in relief.

"Katara found him," Sokka explained, immediately digging into the sack.

"I'm glad you're-" Aang started to say, but he stopped short when he saw Zuko's torso. "Wow… _Are _you okay? Have you already healed him?" he asked Katara.

She nodded. "It's all I can do for now."

Aang frowned unhappily. "Maybe we should wait-"

"No, I'm fine," Zuko cut across him firmly. He reached up and gripped the wall with his right arm, using it to heave himself to his feet. Katara stood with him, her hands outstretched to catch him if he stumbled. But he stood firm and Sokka tossed him his bloody, torn shirt. He pulled it on slowly, wincing but otherwise silent. "Come on, let's go."

Sokka sighed but put the peach he was about to eat back into the sack and started after the rest. They walked for a long time before Aang's stomach started complaining rather loudly.

"We should probably stop for the night," Zuko agreed with a smirk as Aang's stomach gurgled.

"How do you know it's nighttime?" Sokka asked, tossing everybody some fruit.

"Firebenders draw their energy from the sun," Zuko explained, settling with his back against the tunnel wall. Katara was suddenly and forcefully reminded of the Spirit Oasis, and she shook her head to banish the memories. "We can track its position in the sky if we concentrate hard enough."

"How many days have passed since we made the tunnel?" Aang asked, curious.

"Two and a half," Zuko replied, biting into his peach. "I suspect that means the tunnel is long?"

"It is, rather," Katara confirmed. "So we should sleep to get some strength."

They ate the rest of their small supper in silence and then curled up on the ground where they sat. They didn't sleep right next to each other, but they lay so that a part of them was touching somebody else. The contact was reassuring in the darkness, and they had no trouble falling asleep.

-x-x-x-

Zuko woke with the sun the next morning and woke the rest of them up. They ate what was left in the sack in silence and then started towards their families and, as Sokka longingly pointed out, better food. Katara healed Zuko a little more before they set off, frowning in disapproval when she found that he'd torn open the gash on his side again. He shrugged off her scolding and refused to let her check his ankle again. As a result, she made up her mind to walk with him to keep an eye on him. But Aang caught her arm.

"Walk with me?" he pleaded, and she couldn't refuse.

She knew he wanted to hold her hand, but for some reason she could not bring herself to unclench her fists so he could lace his fingers with hers. The awkward silence between them grew with every step and the only sounds to break the stillness were Zuko and Sokka's occasional conversations. Time dragged by slowly and she found herself looking at the ground, even though the fire on Aang's palm cast enough light to see where she was going.

Finally she saw the Avatar take a deep breath, and as he opened his mouth her heart dropped. But Sokka beat him to it.

"Katara!" her brother yelled.

Both of them whipped around to find Sokka supporting a slumped Zuko. The warrior's eyes were wide with shock and surprise as he gently lowered the Firebender to the ground.

"What happened?" Katara asked, crouching in front of Zuko at once.

"I dunno! He just suddenly fell forwards! I mean I guess he got quieter and quieter as we walked but…" Sokka was gabbling.

"I'm fine," Zuko groaned, trying to push Katara's hands away.

But she would not be deterred and firmly pulled up the hem of his bettered shirt, searching for the cause of his collapse. She frowned as she found nothing different from when she had healed him that morning. Nothing except some gooseflesh that covered both his arms… Zuko yanked his shirt back down.

"I'm _fine_," he said, frustrated.

She was about to retort when she noticed that his eyes, which were usually full of gold fire, were dull and oddly shiny. With another frown she reached out and placed her palm on his forehead, holding his shoulder when he tried to jerk away.

"Spirits…" She pressed harder, and the burning heat against her hand intensified. "You're burning up. Badly. And _don't _tell me it's a Firebender thing," she snapped as he opened his mouth. "I _know _it isn't."

Zuko heaved an irritated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. Katara noticed that his hand was shaking.

"Can you heal him?' Aang asked, bringing the fire closer.

"Yeah, but fevers take longer to heal. They're not of the flesh, they're of the body itself. I can help his immune system fight it but he's going to have to get rid of it himself."

She gloved her hand in the only water she had and placed it against Zuko's forehead. He bit back a moan of pleasure at the coolness, but allowed himself to close his aching eyes. Some of the vicious pounding left his head, and he found it easier to think. When he opened his eyes again Katara was just depositing the now filthy water back into her water skin, her blue eyes still wide with concern for him. He pulled his legs underneath him and started to get up but halfway there his knees buckled and Katara and Sokka both had to grab him. Without a word the siblings pulled his arms around their shoulders. He tried to protest, but the words wouldn't come and it was getting harder to think again as the fog started to creep back into his brain. He wished he could stop the world tilting so much; it was very difficult to walk straight when the ceiling kept sliding to the left. As he had found with Sokka earlier, the more he walked the fuzzier things became and he was barely aware of both teens tightening their hold on him. He wished they would reach the caves already; he was cold and he _hated _being cold. And his vision was becoming more and more foggy… Damn it did Aang _have _to look at him as if he was about to collapse any second? He was stronger than that, by Agni…

Suddenly Aang raced ahead and Zuko saw, to his relief, that they'd nearly reached the end of the passage. He heard Aang telling everybody the short version of what had happened and he scowled when the Avatar told them he was sick. He tried pulling his arms away from Sokka and Katara but they pulled him back firmly, gripping him even tighter. They were halfway up the incline towards the cave when familiar hands took over from Katara.

"Uncle?" Zuko was surprised at how slurry his voice was.

And then his mother was blurrily there too, stroking his head with deliciously cool hands and helping Iroh and Sokka to half carry him into the cave.

"It's aright, nephew," Iroh's calm voice said in his ear. "We have you. You can sleep now."

Zuko gratefully let his eyelids flutter closed.

-x-x-x-

The fire burned happily in the center of the cave as the little group sprawled comfortably around it. Everybody was relaxed for the most part, except the three closest to the fire. Katara removed her hands from Zuko's forehead and smiled at Ursa, who was acting as a pillow for her son.

"He'll be fine in a day at the most," she said quietly, not wanting to wake Zuko.

Ursa squeezed her hand, her eyes thankful. "Thank you," she murmured sincerely.

Katara left the two alone and instead headed to where Sokka was lounging, eating nuts. A small smile played across the Waterbender's face as she remembered the previous night when Iroh and Ursa had both huddled around the sick Zuko. She could remember thinking that she was glad Zuko had gotten a family again. One that actually cared for him like the rest of the gaang did. Like she did.

She was pulled from her thoughts when Ozai was marched into the room. She bit her lip, remembering with a jolt that they were stuck alone with the man as Iroh and his guard were out on scouting duty that afternoon. As Ozai passed the place Ursa sat, compulsion and pure instinct made her hug her son protectively to her chest. She watched Ozai walk past with guarded eyes, and Katara did not blame her for her actions. Ozai was chained firmly to the opposite side of the cave and then Hakoda settled down next to his children. Ozai suddenly scoffed, making Suki jump. The man had hardly uttered a sound at all, let alone spoken. But now he was smirking at his son.

"He can't even fight off a fever," he sneered.

Ursa glared at him but did not answer. She also pulled Zuko closer to her, as though she was afraid Ozai would suddenly lunge at her son.

"Has he told you what he got up to during his years of banishment?" Ozai went on cruelly. "All his failures and mistakes?"

"He has, actually," Ursa answered coldly. "He told me everything about those three years. And I mean everything," she said, giving the gaang an apologetic look.

"He made up for it," Toph said, airily waving her hand.

Ursa smiled and then was silent for a while. "But he wouldn't tell me what happened in the palace after I left," she went on quietly, looking at Ozai with narrowed eyes. "And so I asked Iroh. He told me most of what happened, but I know he is keeping something from me too." She paused. "What is it, Ozai? What did you do that they want to save me from knowing?"

The cave went very still as eyes jumped from Ursa to Ozai, both of whom refused to look away from each other for even an instant. The ex-Firelord shrugged in a bored way, leaning back almost leisurely.

"I don't know what they wanted to hide from you. Iroh told you about the bonfire I made from your robes?"

"Yes." Ursa's face was impassive.

"The balancing lesson over the volcano?"

"Yes."

"The turtleduck soup?"

Her mouth formed a thin line and her eyes flashed. "Yes."

"Hmm…" He flicked dirt from his long and grimy nails. "They obviously told you of the Agni Kai… What about the-?"

"What Agni Kai?" Ursa's voice lost its calm, and there was an angry dread in it now.

Ozai's eyebrow raised in mocking disbelief. "Really?" He barked a sneering laugh. "Neither of them cried into your skirt about the war meeting or…? How pathetic."

"_What Agni Kai, Ozai?_"

The man gave her an infuriating smile, leaning further back.

"Zuko was… what? Thirteen I think… The little pest wanted to be allowed into the war meeting for Agni knows what reason… As if he could have learned anything to make him less of a failure in one meeting! But my simple and soft brother let him in. Then he had the audacity to speak out against an esteemed general's plans, just because some weaklings had to be sacrificed for the good of the Fire Nation. He agreed to an Agni Kai as his punishment, but once again his idiocy showed through: he thought he would be fighting the general."

Ozai scoffed in disgust. "When he saw it was me he began _crying _and begging for mercy. He refused to fight, and in doing so he dishonored himself. I sent him to look for the Avatar. It seemed like a fool's errand, but it would get him out of my sight and if he did _somehow _manage to catch him, the Fie Nation would benefit." Ozai purposefully let the silence stretch before he feigned casually remembering the end bit. "Oh yes. And I ended the Agni Kai by giving him a good lesson on punishment and honour. And yet, he's never thanked me for the scar…."

Shock hit everybody like a brick wall.

"You…" Ursa's voice was choked with shock and the beginnings of rage. "_You _were the one who…"

Toph suddenly let out a yell and launched herself at Ozai. Aang and Sokka tackled her to the ground and held her, even though they both looked like they actually wanted to let her go and join her in her quest. Toph fought their half-willing hands with gusto, trying to crawl over to the ex-Firelord.

"You… bastard," the Earthbender growled, tears in her eyes. "If you _ever _hurt my brother again…"

Ozai just smirked at her and was about to answer when Ursa suddenly stood up. Making sure not to wake Zuko, she gently laid him down on the ground. Then she walked right up to her husband and crouched down until they were eye to eye.

"I should let that mob have you," she whispered, her voice full of cold rage.

"But you won't. None of you will. You're all staring at me with petty hate in your eyes"- he smirked at Katara who was glaring daggers at him- "and yet you won't let them kill me. What, are you going to do it yourself, Ursa?"

"Oh no, Ozai." Her voice was a deadly calm as she faced him. "But by the time I'm done with you in years to come you will wish I _had _killed you. And you will rue the very moment you even _thought _of touching _my son_."

Her face was inches from his, and her eyes burned with fire that was brighter than the flames in the middle of the room. Sokka actually felt himself becoming scared of her, and he remembered his father's warning to never hunt a baby animal while its mother was around. Even the most docile of animals could turn deadly when you threatened their young. And with the way Ursa looked, towering above Ozai now as she returned to her son, Sokka was glad he didn't have to fight _her_. Ursa pulled Zuko back onto her lap and hesitantly traced the air half an inch above his scar. She couldn't seem to bring herself to touch it, however, and instead she planted a kiss on his forehead. Sokka let Toph go and saw the look on Katara's face as she glared at Ozai. He knew she approved of Ursa's earlier threats, and he shuddered. Women were dangerous when it came to their families, alright.

-x-x-x-

Katara was brought out of her brooding by Zuko's groan. She glanced down at where he lay next to her and saw him slowly start to stir. She reached down to feel his forehead and smiled when she found it normal again.

"Welcome back," she greeted him, careful not to be too loud in case he had a headache.

Zuko blinked up at her and then instantly pushed himself into a sitting position. Katara sighed and was about to push him back down when he stopped rubbing his head and looked at her.

"Where is everybody?"

"They're all out either exploring or on guard duty or bathing or something. It's just you and me."

"But they're all alright?" he pressed.

"They're fine, Zuko. Relax, okay? You were really sick for a while."

Her ignored her last two sentences and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands before shaking his head slightly, as if to clear it.

"So you decided to stay with me while everybody else went off?" He raised his eyebrow at her.

"Your mom refused to leave you alone, but she really did look like she could deserve a little pamper break. So I offered to stay with you."

"Oh." Zuko looked abashed. "Thank you."

She smiled. "No problem. You were a very good patient, surprisingly. I was expecting you to be worse than Sokka when he's sick."

Zuko snorted, looking a bit offended. "I've never been a bad patient. I-"

"Chill! I was kidding." She laughed. "You know, I kinda missed you when we parted after the war. Aang hardly ever gets riled up so I can never have a decent bicker with him."

Zuko laughed. "I missed you, too. Bending with you kept me on my toes."

She grinned at him. "You do look like you've gone soft," she teased.

"Want to test that theory?"

She pushed him back down. "Not yet; you're still recovering."

He scoffed. "Scared you'll be beaten by a 'sick' guy?"

"No. I'm more worried about what your mother will do to me if I spar with you. Now stop trying to stand up or I'll freeze you to the floor."

Zuko leaned back with a scowl, and she smiled at her victory. Suddenly he frowned at her, a speculative look on his face.

"Did staying with me have anything to do with you avoiding Aang?"

She stared at him in open-mouthed shock. "Avoiding…? What do you…? Why would I want to do that?" she spluttered.

"I don't know; you tell me." He stared straight at her. "Katara, I may have been slightly out of it but I could still tell you really didn't want to walk with him. What's going on with you two?"

There was a curiosity in his eyes she could not place, but she ignored it and rubbed her temples.

"I don't know," she admitted in a small voice. "I just… Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing with him and other times I know I love him so much and… I'm just so confused…"

"You don't know if you like him or not?" Zuko's eyebrow cocked.

"No, I know I love him. I just… don't know if I love him as a guy or as a brother… I don't know if I could start a family with him…"

"Katara… You're barely fifteen. You don't have to think of a family yet," he soothed

"I know, I know… It's just that… Ugh how do I explain this… I _know _I want a family," she said, and he couldn't argue at all; Katara was a born mother. "I just… I can't picture him in ten years with our kids no matter how hard I try…" She heard Zuko sigh and she flushed horribly. "You don't get it, do you?"

"No," he agreed. "But that's just because I'm not half as sure about having a family as you are."

She stopped blushing she was so shocked. "You don't want to be a dad?"

He winced. "I guess I want kids. And I need an heir but…" He looked at his feet. "I won't make a good father. I'm too much like Ozai and he… I don't want to…"

Katara remembered Ozai's casual sneer as he admitted to scaring his son, and the left side of Zuko's face looked more painful than it ever had.

"You are nothing like him," she whispered fiercely. "You will be a better father than him by just breathing!"

He blinked, gave her a wan smile and changed the subject. "So you can see yourself with kids, but not with Aang's kids?" She couldn't look at Zuko as the blush stained her cheeks with embarrassment and guilt. He was silent for a long while. "There's a way you can get rid of your confusion, you know."

Surprise covered her face. "How?"

"You make yourself aware of what you have. You know how people who have had their houses destroyed appreciate their old house so much?" She nodded. "Well it's the same concept, just no destroying. You just kiss a random stranger and the kiss will revolt you so much and feel so alien that you will appreciate Aang all the more and you'll stop being confused."

She blinked at him a couple of times, and he shrugged uncomfortably under her look. "Where did you hear that one?"

"My uncle. Where else?"

She laughed. "It sounds crazy… But I'll try anything by now. Who do you think I should kiss?"

He turned his face away from her, hiding his expression. "Haru, maybe?"

She shuddered. "How about not? People already think we had a thing." She frowned. "Are you okay?"

He took a deep breath and turned back to her with an expressionless face. "I'm fine."

She raised an eyebrow skeptically but didn't push the point. "So who can I kiss? I suppose a random stranger could work…" She bit her lip. "I'd just feel much more comfortable if it…" She looked at him with widening eyes. "You!"

Zuko's eyes grew large. "Me? You want to… Me?"

She shrugged, self-conscious. "You suggested it."

"But… I… I said it had to be a random stranger!" Zuko spluttered, his face curiously red.

"Come on, Zuko! You're my best friend! Best friends help each other out." She scowled. "What's the big deal? It's just a kiss!"

Zuko looked at her so strangely then. His eyes flared with an emotion that froze the breath in her chest and made her heart thud. His look was more intense and more powerful than anything she had ever seen or felt… He blinked and his eyes stopped burning.

"Yes," he agreed. "Just a kiss."

"Well then." Her voice was hoarse. "Could you… just…?"

Slowly Zuko lent in towards her and she found that she could not look away. Her mouth went suddenly dry as her heart began to thump louder and quicker. An inch away Zuko stopped and she found herself closing her eyes in anticipation. Then all of a sudden his lips were on hers, and they were warmer and stronger and softer than she'd thought they would be. For a second that lasted for forever she was caught up in everything that was Zuko, and then he pulled away. When his lips were two inches away from hers her self-control broke and she swerved in and kissed him again, hungry for more. Zuko did not hesitate to kiss her back, and she was suddenly floating in a very warm bubble in a very, very pleasant place…

Zuko leaned away from her again and the two sat, breathing heavily and staring at each other. It was only after a few seconds that Katara realized they were both blushing.

"Well." Zuko's voice sounded squeaky, and he cleared his throat. "I guess now you won't be confused any more…"

There was something strange in his eyes again; he was looking at her as if she was the earth's gravity, the sun's heat and the moon's power all at once. In his eyes there was also hurt at the words that came from his mouth; he did not want them.

"Zuko, you're awake!"

They both jumped and turned to Ursa at once. Zuko smiled at her, and Katara excused herself, hoping Ursa could not hear her frantic heart as she slipped away to go and find Aang. She could feel Zuko watching her go.

-x-x-x-

He was alone when Katara came back.

"You lied."

He jumped and turned in surprise at her voice. He was shocked to find she was crying.

"What…?" He was alarmed and confused as he tried to figure out what she was talking about.

"You told me kissing somebody else would make me unconfused about Aang!" she accused, tears flowing down her face. "But it didn't! I kissed him just now and… You lied!"

He winced and swallowed. "I'm… sorry. I'm sorry, Katara. I didn't know…"

"What do I do now? Now everything's worse!" she sobbed.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked her desperately.

"I want you to turn back time and make it not happen!" she yelled, throwing her hands up. "I want you to… to make me forget…" She took a shuddering breath. "I want you to… I want you to kiss me again! I want… I don't… I…"

She was silenced by his lips. And again came the swooping sensation that she had craved while kissing Aang. And her heart told her clearly that she wasn't confused. Because as hard and potentially wrong as kissing Zuko was, she wanted it. _And he does too_ she realized as her mind put his looks and questions into perspective. _All this time_… She wrapped herself more firmly around him.

In the opening to the cave stood Aang, frozen in place with wide eyes. He couldn't seem to catch his breath, and there was a hollow sound in his ears. A hand punched his shoulder, and he looked dazedly at Toph.

"Do you want… me too break the kiss up?" she asked hesitantly.

It took a while for him to remember how to speak. "Are they happy?"

She wavered again. "Yes."

"And it's not just… elemental attraction or…" His voice caught. "Or lust or something?"

"No. Sorry, Twinkles."

Aang shook his head, blinking hard to keep back the tears. "Then don't… don't break them up. They're… family. I want them to be happy." He was crying now, crushed but accepting. "Family comes first," he whispered, turning away from the sight. "Family comes first."

* * *

I congradulate you for reading 9400+ words. If I wrote 'family' in there one more time I would have shot myself. Lol


	2. Change

**Day Two: Change**

* * *

**Summary: **Zuko finally got the throne he fought so long for. But in less than a month the title of Firelord is taken from him and forced upon his uncle. Katara takes pity on Zuko and she promises to help him change the minds of the council so he can once again become Firelord. But their plan takes a long time to come about, and in this time the two start growing very close indeed…

**AN: **This one is loosely based on the song "Change" by Taylor Swift. I wanted to do this for MFU but when I saw the Zutara Week prompts I kept it in my head and wrote it for this instead. Excuse the mistakes too- I wrote this out on paper and bribed my little sister with chocolate to type it out for me. I did edit it, but I was running out of time so I didn't do it as well as I wanted. I also put the lyrics to "Change" after the fic because I feel it's also a song for us Zutarians: it tells about our struggles against the other ships too ;)

I hope it's okay- I don't really like this one that much. But it's got some really fluffy moments in that my sis said she loved… Please do judge it in a review xD

**Disclaimer:** Again, ATLA is not mine. If it was, I'd have made the movie waaaay longer and filled with much Zutara fluff.

* * *

Katara stood next to Zuko as he watched his country be taken from him. Her heart broke for him, and she was glad he wasn't crying; she wouldn't be able to handle his tears on top of it all. Finally she couldn't stand it any longer and she placed a hand on his shoulder. He did not welcome it, but he did not shake it off either. In fact, he just continued to watch his uncle's coronation as though nothing had happened. His face was stoic as the sage made his speech, but Katara could feel him trembling beneath her fingers.

The Firelord's crown was lowered onto Iroh's head and Zuko slumped at the finality the picture seemed to have. Katara rubbed his back, trying to give him a small bit of comfort. He'd finally gotten his throne only to have it taken away from him within a month. Finally he couldn't stand it any longer and he turned and walked away, not catching the sad look his uncle gave his retreating back. Katara sighed and wrapped her arms around herself at the unfairness of it all. Neither Iroh nor Zuko wanted it to end like that. The new Firelord caught her eye and he inclined his head to where Zuko had gone, a plea on his face. Katara bowed her head at him and went to find Zuko. She found him in a courtyard with his shirt stripped off, sending volleys of fire into the empty air before him. She sank to the ground and watched him sadly, ready to step in if he started to hurt himself.

"It was a week ago," he panted suddenly, not stopping his assault on the air. "Exactly a week ago we were in the Jasmine Dragon in Ba Sing Se and Sokka was drawing that ridiculous picture and now..."

_Now everything has changed again _she finished for him silently.

"Why can I never get the destiny I want!" Zuko roared, fire spurting from his fists. "I'm so sick of fate stabbing me in the back!"

His fist connected with a stone pillar and she saw it as her cue to step in before he hurt himself. She slowly walked over to him, taking her time so he didn't lash out.

"It'll be okay." Her hand found his arm and he turned to look at her with listless eyes. "It will. You just have to figure out a plan so brilliant they'll have to acknowledge you're ready for the throne." He scoffed at this, obviously doubting it would work even if it did happen. "I'll help you figure it out," she promised him quietly, standing even closer. "No matter how long it takes, I'll be here."

"Why?" His entire body was guarded and his voice was harsh.

"Because I believe in what you can do. I believe your uncle; you're the right one for the job. And I'll do anything to see this plan through because of that belief. And because you're my friend; part of my extended family." She smiled. "Things will change Zuko. And for the better."

Some fire sparked back into his dull gold eyes, and she felt her heart warm. He sighed and ran a hand through his tussled hair.

"Because you believe in me..." he muttered. "And because I saved you from a fatal lightning bolt and didn't whinge about it?" he teased lightly.

She grinned. "And because you saved me from a fatal lightning bolt and didn't whinge about it."

-x-x-x-x-

She was worried he was going to set the entire library on fire. Smoke was practically steaming from his nostrils as he paced up and down like a caged and very volatile wolfbat.

"They are purposefully _trying _to keep me from proving myself!" he roared, and she flinched at how loud it sounded after the silence. "_Forbidding _me to ask favours and opinions of other nations? How can they even _do _that? I'm their prince!" The lamps flickered ominously.

"Zuko, I _know _it's unfair," she tried to sooth him in a gentle voice. "Your uncle knows it's unfair. Heck, even some of _them _think it's unfair! But nobody can do anything. Iroh's hands are tied and those on the council who support you are right now a minority and-"

"I know!" Zuko roared. She flinched and he sighed, sinking into a chair with his head in his hands. "I know."

Now that he was calmer she moved into the room, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll change their minds," she promised him softly. "Even when they fight unfair we'll still win."

Zuko looked up at her, his thanks written on his face.

"We need evidence, though. And how are we going to get it if anything we get from other nobles is discredited?" He scowled deeply again. "Agni, I feel as though I'm on trial by a court of law..."

She giggled. "How do you know about that? I thought only the Earth Kingdom had those in the old days."

"They did. Uncle just likes to teach me random history."

She sat down on the couch next to him and realized her hand was still on his shoulder. She removed it quickly, ducking her head to hide the blush. "Can't you ask Mai's father for information under the table?"

"No." Zuko's voice was clipped.

"But he's governor. Surely-"

"I _can't, _Katara." He sighed and shut his eyes. "She left," he said woodenly. "And she's not coming back."

"Zuko..." her heart ached for him. "I'm so sorry... Did you... fight?"

"That's all we seemed to do for the past few months," he muttered. "Then this morning she packed up her things and told me I'd changed too much and left." He was silent for a while. "Have I changed?"

"No. You're the same Zuko that you were six months ago when you stalked us to the Western Air Temple. I think..." Katara hesitated. "I think she didn't realize that you changed before, though. I think she still sees you as the Zuko she knew as a kid."

"I think I like that Zuko better," he muttered.

"I don't," she replied softly, and he looked at her in confusion. "I like this Zuko much more."

He didn't look away and for a long, long time they sat in silence and stared at each other. The silence was tense but not awkward, as though it was charged with some unseen electricity. Then he cleared his throat and turned away so that his shaggy hair hid his face.

"So favors from Mai's father are out," he said calmly.

"That's okay. We'll find a better way to make them change their minds."

"And we'll start when you get back from Kyoshi," he said, stretching his legs.

She instantly blushed with guilt. "How did you hear about that?"

"My uncle is a notorious gossip and the Firelord; he knows _everything_." He raised his eyebrow at her. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because I didn't know if I wanted to go. I still don't."

"But Suki and Sokka will be there too." He was confused.

"Yes, because Suki lives there and so he's allowed to go. The only reason _I'm _allowed to attend is because of Aang. Toph won't be there... And neither will you."

"You've spent enough time with me and my problems."

"Not _that _much time..."

"Katara. We've spent so much time together we've stopped arguing."

Her eyes widened. "Oh wow... We have, haven't we?" He gave her a bemused look and she sighed. "Aang wants me to go to the Avatar Kyoshi party so we can salvage our relationship."

"And?"

"I just don't think there's anything _left_ to save," she mumbled, staring at her hands.

"Go to Kyoshi," Zuko said firmly. "What you guys had... Once you lose it, it's gone. Just… take it from somebody who knows: if there's even a slight chance, you should take it."

Katara sighed again and changed the subject.

-x-

It was past midnight when Katara gave in to the fact that she could not sleep. The decision she had to make about the Avatar Party made her feel guilty and nervous and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get it out of her mind long enough to fall asleep. Finally, with a frustrated sigh, she pushed back the blankets on her bed and got out, putting on a Fire Nation cloak. She figured she'd head down to the library and get a scroll she could read until she felt sleepy.

She met nobody in the silent and dark halls of the palace, and she was secretly relieved; even though she was doing nothing wrong the silence of the palace made her fear being caught. She finally reached the colossal doors of the library and pushed them open slowly, sighing in relief when they didn't creak. She was about to turn straight to the mythology section when she noticed a small light coming from behind one of the shelves. Katara frowned and crept toward the light source, hand automatically hovering over her water skin. She turned the shelf and blinked in surprise, relaxing at once.

The light came from a lamp that was on a desk overflowing with scrolls. Slumped over all the scrolls with a brush still in his hand was Zuko. For a moment Katara stood still and watched, but when she was sure he was really asleep she quietly tiptoed over and removed the brush from his hand. Then she took off the cloak she wore and draped it around his shoulders carefully, making sure she didn't wake him.

But when she moved to put out the lamp she found herself pausing to simply stare at him. She frowned at the dark shadows under his eyes but as she saw how peaceful he was her frown turned to a soft smile. The urge to stroke his hair overwhelmed her, and she ran light fingers over the shaggy bangs. She couldn't leave him. He _needed _her; _needed _her help and her encouragement. Even with her around he was overworked and almost despairing. To leave him would be... wrong. And impossible for her to do. She was needed in the Fire Nation, not on Kyoshi Island.

She doused out the lamp and quietly slipped back to her room, her arms empty of scrolls. She knew from the lightness of her heart that she wouldn't have trouble sleeping anymore.

-x-x-x-x

The door to the library burst open and both of them squeezed through at once. Katara's hair was knotted and dirty, Zuko had the beginning of a scraggly beard and both of them were in desperate need of a bath and some sleep. But personal hygiene was, once again, the last thing on their minds.

"We're so close!" Katara bubbled, clearing the desk of scrolls so Zuko could put down the three he was carrying.

They both stared at the scrolls as though they were made from pure gold. Zuko turned to her with fire in his eyes.

"This is it." His voice was slightly hoarse. "Katara, this is it! If we can find a scroll in this library that proves our plan will work..."

"Then our two years of effort will pay off. Things will change. You'll become Firelord again..."

A grin flared across his face and Katara's stomach reacted to how handsome the gesture made him. She shook the thoughts out of her head and, desperate to negate the blush, began to tease him.

"So are we going to go and bathe, eat and sleep now and start again in the morning?"

He looked at her as if she was insane. "We've been looking for the plan that will change everything for _two years_. You only left the Fire Nation palace four times to go and see your family. And now we're this close and you want to... No. We're finishing this."

Katara choked down a giggle as Zuko marched off to the back of the library. He pulled a random scroll out of a shelf, checked it, placed it back and walked on. This he did six times until they reached a massive shelf made of old wood and coated with dust.

"The scroll we need is somewhere in here? Perfect," Katara scowled. "And here I thought the end bit, at least, would be easy."

Zuko just grinned again and together they began pulling off scrolls to scan through. They both got absorbed in their work as the pile of discarded scrolls grew taller, and Zuko only glanced at Katara once. When he did, however, he saw her tiredly rubbing her eyes, and he frowned.

"Katara... I... Maybe you were right earlier... I mean if you want to go and sleep I-"

"What, are you _crazy_? I was kidding; we're not giving up now!"

This left Zuko shaking his head in confusion. Girls were crazy. Time ticked by unchecked as they sat and poured over scroll after scroll. Katara finally got frustrated and glared at the ceiling as she tossed yet another scroll aside. It was then that her eyes fell on a group of scrolls high up on the shelf. She frowned- there was something about them that made her skin tremble.

"Zuko, give me a leg up, won't you?"

He gave her a doubtful look when she pointed out the scrolls but came over anyway.

"Ready?" His voice in her ear made her tremble. "One, two, three."

He placed his hands on her hips and lifted her easily. She could feel herself blushing as she quickly grabbed all the scrolls. Hugging them protectively to her chest she was lowered gently by Zuko's strong hands before being caught securely in his arms. She turned around slowly with his arms still around her and gazed into his wide eyes with eyes equally as big.

"Uhm... Scrolls..." She held one up stupidly.

He looked away and let her go. "Right." He cleared his throat. "Scrolls."

She hid her very red face behind the first scroll and began to read eagerly. But the first one was a disappointment, as the were the second and the third... Finally she had one left and felt close to tears. All that work only to be stumped with one little thing... Things _had _to change... They _had _to... Dispassionately she opened the last scroll and her breath caught.

"Zuko..." It was barely a whisper.

He turned with a frown that only deepenedwhen he saw her face. "What?"

Wordlessly she held up the scroll, letting it roll open for him to read. There was a second of silence, and then Zuko yelled.

"You found it!" She had never seen him that excited before. "That's it! You brilliant, brilliant girl!"

Before she knew what was happening he had grabbed her and was swinging her around the room. Then he pulled her face down and kissed her.

Katara forgot everything except his lips. She forgot her exhaustion, her frustration, her hunger, her excitement, her dirtiness, her mission. All there was was Zuko's warm lips and slightly stale breath that still tasted sweet and his hair and his body and…

Zuko put her down and backed away, shaking his head.

"No. We can't. It won't... No. They'll only use it against us. The plan will mean _nothing_ and..." He began backing towards the door. "We don't need this. We don't need another thing stacked against us."

She watched him turn and leave with a numb feeling encasing every inch of her body. She'd misread him. All those smiles and dances and the looks in his eyes... She'd been right the first time: they were coincidences. She knew that; she'd known it all along. When had she started listening to her irrational side that they meant more? She'd been so sure she'd squashed that little voice with reason and facts...

Zuko came back into sight slowly, his eyes on the ground. He looked up at her and her heart spluttered into life again, twice as quick as it should have been. She couldn't misread what was in his eyes then. Those mismatched points of gold told her he knew they could beat the opposition, that they could win, that they could change more than they'd first thought. She slowly held her arms out to him and he walked over to her and pulled her close, sealing her lips with his own.

-x-x-x-

The cool breeze was welcome against cheeks red from dancing. The music in the great hall could still be heard even up there and she had to smile; Iroh knew how to throw a party. Her hands nervously interlocked at the knowledge of what was coming: tonight was the night their hard work was rewarded and Zuko was named Firelord. Or it was the night when all their hopes were dashed to pieces...

"Katara."

She jumped but then smiled at him, fondly thinking how handsome he looked in his black amour. How handsome and nervous he looked.

"Relax. It's going to be okay." She placed her hand over his as he sat next to her.

"What happens when it's over?" he asked after a long moment of silence. "Will you... return to the South Pole? Your work here will be done..."

Even though he was trying hard to hide it, Katara knew him well enough to detect the pain in his voice.

"You know, in the beginning it was just work. I was there to do my bit to change the world and help out a friend. But after I chose you over Aang's party... It was after that that I realized that even though I knew he would take my refusal as a break-up I stayed with you. _You_, Zuko, not the work. After that I started to see that I was staying because I liked it, not because I had to. And all those times I went away I thought about you a lot. _You_, not the work we were doing." She sighed. "This being over won't change anything where I'm concerned. You've already made so much change for me and in me."

He was silent and when she looked at him there were too many emotions in his eyes for her to decipher.

"As the Firelord I'll be able to change things," he said quietly.

She smiled. "I know. That's-"

"Things including laws," Zuko went on as if she hadn't spoken. "Almost every law except who the Firelord has to marry." Her heart turned to ice and she looked away. Zuko's hands turned her face back to his. "Because I got my uncle to change that already."

Before her he dangled strip of fine crimson silk embroidered with images of an eclipse. She stared wordlessly at it as tears began to pool in her eyes. Then she took off her mother's necklace and handed it to him with a shining face. Zuko gently pulled off the pendant, slipped it onto the silk and then tied it around her neck. When he was done he kissed her so warmly she felt like melting and she was sure he felt the same inside.

Still without a word he took her hand and led her back down to the party hall. Iroh was waiting for them at the doors and he beamed as he noticed their linked hands. He hugged both of them at the same time, nearly winding Katara, before stepping back into the hall and clapping his hands for silence.

"Presenting the new Firelord, Firelord Zuko, and his new fiancé, Lady Katara."

Zuko pulled her into the light and cheers and she felt herself grinning wider than she'd ever grinned before. She liked this change.

* * *

**Change- Taylor Swift**

And it's a sad picture, the final blow hits you

Somebody else gets what you wanted again

You know it's all the same, another time and place

Repeating history and you're getting sick of it

But I believe in whatever you do

And I'll do anything to see it through

Because these things will change

Can you feel it now?

These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down

This revolution, the time will come

For us to finally win

We sing hallelujah, we sing hallelujah

So we've been outnumbered

Raided and now cornered

It's hard to fight when the fight ain't fair

We're getting stronger now

Find things they never found

They might be bigger

But we're faster and never scared

You can walk away, say we don't need this

But there's something in your eyes

Says we can beat this

Because these things will change

Can you feel it now?

These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down

This revolution, the time will come

For us to finally win

We sing hallelujah, we sing hallelujah

Tonight we'll stand, get off our knees

Fight for what we've worked for all these years

And the battle was long, it's the fight of our lives

But we'll stand up champions tonight

It was the night things changed

Do you see it now?

These walls that they put up to hold us back fell down

It's a revolution, throw your hands up

'Cause we never gave in

And we'll sing hallelujah, we sang hallelujah

Hallelujah

_Hidden message in the CD book lyrics: You Made Things Change For Me_


	3. Change Part II

**Day Two: Change Part II **

* * *

**Summary: **Katara and Zuko are engaged and Katara has moved into the Fire Nation to ready herself for her new life. But she is Water Tribe and knows nothing of the Fire Nation's customs. When her differences and nonconformity make others warn her she could lose Zuko, however, she decides that a change is necessary.

**AN: **"Whuuut? Another 'Change' fic?" Yeah, I'm as surprised as you are. Trust me. But I am subject to my muse: when it commands, I obey. And it spewed out this little ficlet at me about an hour after I uploaded the original 'Change'. I have no Internet at home (to post these I got a dishwashing job for money for the Internet Café. Yes, that's how loyal I am to Zutara Week xD) so I had to post this part 2 today.

It does follow on from the first part of 'Change' but you don't have to read part one to understand part two. PLEASE review or something to that effect… It would be much appreciated and it will make me feel less lame for dragging Day 2 into Day 3.

**Disclaimer:** ATLA is not mine. I wish it was, but sadly every bottle I've rubbed so far got me nothing but strange looks.

* * *

Zuko had asked her to go with him, but she knew her presence would only cause him problems so she declined and instead stayed in the Fire Nation. She had to learn how to be a good Fire Nation citizen, she told him firmly, and in order to do that she had to live as one for as long as possible. Both of them knew that this answer was the most practical, but Zuko had still had to be fetched from her rooms by his amused captain on the day his ship left for the Earth Kingdom. Zuko had made the poor man wait outside Katara's door for nearly ten minutes while he gave her 'one last goodbye kiss'. She still blushed just thinking about it.

The day after Zuko left, Katara's confidence hit almost rock bottom. Only then did it occur to her that she was in the Fire Nation alone with no friend at all except the odd noble she was acquainted with. And without Zuko around the other noblewomen did not hold back any criticism. The first day was the worst; everything she did seemed to be wrong in somebody's eyes. That night she had started a letter of complaint to Zuko, but she had burned it before it was completed. Zuko would only worry about her and he needed to be fully focused on the Earth Kingdom treaty. He had just been made Firelord, after all, and the council member's eyes were still on him, looking for mistakes. And so instead of writing to Zuko, she steeled herself mentally, promising not to bend to anything negative anybody told her.

The next three weeks passed with her flat-out ignoring every snide comment sent her way. In fact, by the end of the second week she had resorted to subtle spite: everything they told her not to do, she did with more gusto. They didn't like her simple Water Tribe dress, so she wore Water Tribe clothes day in and day out. They detested the 'peasant' food she ate, and so she ate it in abundance. They glared at her when she changed their tittering conversation to something less meaningless than pedicures, so she made a point of talking of nothing but war strategies and history. This was working out well for her until she overheard two noblewomen gossiping as she took a stroll in the moonlight.

"If she carries on this way, the council will find a way to deem her unfit to be Firelady and they will annul the engagement," one whispered with a smirk in her voice.

That one sentence changed everything for Katara. Her pride had always been rather large. She loved her nation, her people and her customs. And she had never been one to conform to anything that went against her pride. But losing Zuko was another thing altogether. He was the reason she'd happily moved out of the Southern Water Tribe, the reason she'd agreed to wear red clothing on occasion and rule another nation. Losing him would be something akin to losing her mother all over again. It couldn't happen. She refused to let it.

And so, after hearing that one sentence, Katara instantly vowed to change.

-x-x-x -

On the outside he was perfectly composed, his head held high and his hands tucked calmly behind his back. But inside he was buzzing with excitement and he wanted nothing more than to yell at the soldiers to make them open the gangplank to his ship faster. He'd been away from Katara for nearly two months. How much more did they think he could stand, by Agni?

When the sunlight finally began to stream into the hold of thick metal it took all of Zuko's self-control not to run out and grab Katara at once. Instead he grit his teeth and walked out at regal pace, letting his eyes wonder around the cheering crowed politely. His full attention, however, was focused on the palanquin at the end of the long carpet laid out at his feet. Katara was not standing in front of it like he had been expecting, but he thought nothing of it as he knew she would be inside it.

The walk to her seemed to take millennia, but finally he was there and he could not stop the smile from breaking over his face. He gently pulled back the curtain and at the sound Katara turned towards him and smiled broadly in welcome. His heart nearly burst with joy. Quickly jumping into the palanquin and letting the curtain drop behind him he grabbed her and kissed her with all the longing and desire he had in his heart. The gasp she made was very satisfying, and he smirked as she wrapped her arms securely around his neck.

"Missed you," he murmured against her neck, and she nuzzled in closer to him.

"Missed you more."

Their lips met again but as Zuko shifted closer to her Katara seemed to freeze in his arms as though a horrifying thought had struck her. She pulled away from the kiss and gave Zuko a very polite smile, scooting away and fixing up her rather tussled hair. Zuko felt more than a little confused but as he was about to ask her what was wrong he noticed her clothes for the first time and surprise left him speechless.

She was wearing a very smart, heavily embroidered Fire Nation dress complete with trailing sleeves and high collar. Her hair was pinned back in the latest fashion for Fire Nation nobles, and her face was dusted with makeup. Zuko blinked. It wasn't that she looked bad in the clothes- Katara looked beautiful in anything- it was just that seeing her so entirely Fire Nation was a new concept to him. Right from the start she had made it clear that she would keep a bit of her Water Tribe heritage with her, and he didn't want it any other way. And he _knew _how uncomfortable the heavy Fire Nation clothing was to her and how she detested the makeup. So why did she put it all on and then still stay in the palanquin where nobody would see her? It made no sense.

He frowned in confusion and gently took her hand in his. He was happy to find she did not reject that gesture, and he squeezed her fingers gently. She looked back at him and smiled the special smile she reserved for him. Her eyes turned into small, crystal-clear oceans and he felt himself smiling in return. He opened his mouth to ask her about the abrupt halt to the kiss and her choice in outfit, but at that moment they reached the palace.

She waited for him to get out first, as was customary, and accepted his offered hand with a smile of thanks in her eyes. But she did not link elbows with him like she always had and instead walked with her hands clasped together in front of her, hidden by her long sleeves. Zuko nearly tripped three times because he was staring at her the whole way to the dining hall. She was even _walking _different: stiff as a bored instead of loping and free like the water she controlled. He was beginning to get utterly perplexed; what was wrong?

They sat down to dinner and she opened up a little, chatting to the guests around her politely. He mentally breathed a sigh of relief and was going to push the walking and clothing incidents out of his head when their food arrived and he saw what Katara had ordered. Stewed papaya on rice with parsley on the side, a dish regarded as nobility food. Katara had complained to him countless times about the blandness of the 'proper nobility food' of the Fire Nation, saying that she much preferred the spicy food of the lower classes. Okay, so perhaps she had grown fond of the fancy food while he was away. That didn't explain why she was eating papaya: Katara _detested _papaya. And _not only _was she eating Fire Nation food at its worst, but she was eating so little of it Zuko genuinely wanted to ask where the rest of it was.

Now the Firelord was genuinely worried. Something was not right at all, and it was spooking him. He managed to keep his thoughts to himself all through dinner, but he did pay closer attention to his fiancé. What he noticed was that the conversations he had first thought were free and easy were in fact about useless and petty things that the other noblewomen liked to fill their boring hours with. Things like buckle sizes and how many curls were too many and, Agni forbid, how wide a smile must be for it to be flirtatious. In other words, un-Katara-like conversations.

He hoped fervently she would transform back into the spirited, down-to-earth Katara he loved when they were alone. He was encouraged when she invited him back to her rooms, even if she did it with the air of commenting on the weather. When inside he asked her casually what had been going on since he left. When she started telling him about Lady Xia's new method of hair straightening, it all became too much.

"Okay, that's it. Stop. Just… stop." She looked at him with wide eyes as he raised both hands for emphasis. "What is going on, Katara?"

"I… I'm not sure I know what you're referring too?"

Her formal language made him wince, and then scowl deeper. "You know what I'm talking about. The over-politeness, the meaningless conversations, so little _Fire Nation _food I'm beginning to wonder if you're starving yourself, the clothes…"

She looked down at the dress. "You don't like it?" Her voice sounded small.

He sighed and made his tone gentler. "Of _course _I like it- you look beautiful in it. But you look beautiful in your Water Tribe clothes too, and I know you like those better. And what's with ordering papaya when you hate it?"

She raised her head but could not meet his eyes. Silence stretched on for a long time before she answered in a tiny voice. "It's the right thing for a noblewoman to eat. And what I ordered was the right amount, too. These clothes are right and my walk is right and my hair is in the latest fashion…"

"_That_ is what this is all about?" He didn't know whether to shake her or laugh at her. He shook his head. "You may be the future Firelady, but I _am _Firelord, meaning I have power over you. So right now I order you- _order _you- to go and take a bath, wash off all that makeup and put on a Water Tribe dress." Katara started to cut across him but he held up one finger and carried on talking. "While you are doing that I am going to go to the kitchens and I'm going to make them whip you up a proper Water Tribe meal. Some of those Sea Cumquats, or whatever they're called. While you're eating your dinner," he said louder, drowning out whatever she was trying to tell him, "I am going to sit in front of you and you are going to tell me the _interesting _things that happened, with the use of as much vulgar language as you please."

He raised his eyebrow, daring her to challenge him. Her shoulders slumped and she gazed at him helplessly. "Zuko. I need to be a proper noblewoman. If I don't… If I don't fit the bill, if I'm not the perfect Fire Nation woman they'll… they'll kick me out and…" She felt the tears well up in her eyes.

Zuko gaped at her. "Now that's just insulting." Her gaze turned confused. "You really think that a bunch of noblewomen can take _me _on and win? That _hurts_." He looked so disgruntled and put out that a giggle made its way up Katara's throat. He stared at her sharply, his eyes burning and sincere. "I will _never _let them take you from me. You are _mine_ as much as you are Water Tribe. And I don't ever, ever want you to change."

Her joy was so immense that all she could do was rush forward and kiss him with all her might.

"I love you," she told him, her eyes shining with tears.

"And I love you, you silly little peasant. If I wanted a perfect Fire Nation noblewoman I would have married a block of wood. Now go and take that ridiculously over-the-top dress off and turn back into Katara."

She gave him a glowing smile and kissed his cheek. Then her smile suddenly turned to a smirk.

"There's one problem with your plan," she murmured, and he frowned.

"What's that?"

"I've grown so used to being bathed by other people I couldn't _possibly _do it by myself now. I need someone to help me, but I really don't want to bother the servants…" She glanced at him from under her eyelashes. "Won't you help me?"

"I'll be back from the kitchens in one minute. One minute!"

He kissed her heatedly and then headed towards the kitchens. Katara laughed as she watched him tear out of the room, and her heart lightened again. She removed one thing before Zuko returned: the expensive silk necklace that she had worn to cover the Water Tribe pendant her mother had given her.

* * *

**AN: **Short and cliché, but it refused to stay unwritten. Thanks for reading.

Oh, and the 'block of wood' thing was a little reference to a joke Lita The Storyteller and I have about a matchbox, a blob, and a bug with a bad perm xD


	4. Pain

**Day Three: Pain**

* * *

**Summary: **Zuko decides to go and confess everything to Katara but when he sees her kissing Aang he thinks he's too late. He manages to suck up the pain and gets on with his life until his deranged sister manages to break out of the hospital. Azula naturally comes after him, and she tests Katara's heart and healing abilities to the max. Hints of Maiko and Kataang as well as Team Avatar family bonding along with the healthy dose of Zutara.

**AN: **Anybody who knows me well will know that I was REALLY looking forward to writing this one. In fact, it was the one I thought out first. The first bit is loosely inspired by "Miserable At Best" by Mayday Parade- wonderful song that one. And yeah, the fic is kinda cliché and obvious and blah blah… I know. But I enjoyed writing it all the same. It may still have turned out crappy, but I'm going to hesitantly (and under correction) name this as my favourite piece. Please review =)

And a _**HUGE ENORMOUS GIGANTIC **_thank you to everybody who has reviewed so far. I squeal every time I get a new one, and I _promise _I will get around to answering EVERY ONE of your reviews personally. You're just going to have to bare with me and hold on till Sunday- that's when I get to go on the net at my mom's work, meaning I don't have to pay money I don't have or share the Internet with 25 other people in the same Internet café. Sunday I'll have unlimited time, not just 15 minutes. Sunday. I PROMISE.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything. Written purely to amuse my fan-ish mind.

* * *

Everything in the world seemed to be at peace. There was something in the air that lightened the mood and the spirit, and the company Zuko found himself in did nothing to destroy the serenity brought on by the beautiful scenery and knowledge that the war was finally over. The young Firelord smiled slightly to himself as Sokka and his uncle argued over the drawing Sokka had made of the group. Suki and Toph were both giggling at the remarks Iroh was making about Sokka's drawing skills, and Mai had wandered off again, bored by the banter.

Zuko stared at the back of the woman he had once thought he loved and felt confusion tinged with guilt rise in his throat. She'd told him never to break up with her again. So how could he tell her that it was never her face he dreamed about? She would be crushed. And he didn't want to hurt her; he still cared for her even if he didn't love her. Iroh caught his nephew's eye and he nodded his head to the door, telling him sternly with his eyes to go outside after the Waterbender. How he'd know of Zuko's feelings for her the Firelord could only guess. But then again, it was a mystery how his uncle knew most things.

Silently Zuko slipped away, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he nervously contemplated what to say. He really hoped that Katara would attack him if she didn't return his feelings; it would be so much easier to deal with than her pity. Aang attacking him on the other hand… They had just turned from enemies to friends, and yet Zuko was walking towards doing something that would probably change the Avatar's friendship back to hate. And yet, Zuko still couldn't find the will in himself to stop.

He shut his eyes and took a deep breath before squaring his shoulders with the intent to marching up to Katara and spilling his guts. He never took a single step, for as soon as he opened his eyes he was met with the sight of Aang and Katara. Of Aang _kissing _Katara. Zuko felt like he had been rooted to the spot by Dai Li manacles, and it felt as though his insides had disappeared. A feeling of something raw trying to rip its way out of his throat started, and he noticed with vague surprise that his hands were shaking. The clawing something in his throat and chest only got more wild and frantic when he noticed the little smile on Katara's face. She was happy. With him. She had chosen, and he hadn't even gotten the chance to influence her decision.

Unable to look any more, he turned and marched away, letting his feet carry him wherever they wanted to. _What did you expect, Zuko? _a sneering voice in his head chastised him. _Did you really think she was just going to forsake her feelings for the Avatar- feelings they've both shown all along- just because you bumble on about falling in love with her? You know she still sees you more as her enemy than as her friend. And even if she didn't, why in Agni's name would she love _you_? Look at yourself! _

He stared glumly at his reflection in the little stream running by his feet, seeing nothing but the scar that marred the left side of his face. And in looking at the mark he saw all his mistakes and failures and flaws. And he knew that he'd been deluding himself: Katara would never be his. He punched a wall in sheer frustration, and refused to cry even when his blood covered his entire hand. He tipped his head back to glare at the heavens, wanting to yell at them as he had before, but he found no words to scream at the spirits. Instead he just sighed and walked back to his uncle's teashop, the sun setting in his heart at the same time it set on the earth.

-x-x-x-

Sokka and Suki were twirling around rather ungracefully, but everybody let them pass it off as dancing. Katara clapped along with the other watchers, marveling at Iroh's ability to smile and still keep playing. Her own smile felt false, especially when she felt herself swerving away from Aang's hand as it searched for hers. She pretended not to notice his hurt expression, but it sent a pang deep into her soul.

She was going to hurt him, she knew she was. But she refused to lie to him any longer than she already had. The simple truth was that she loved him as a brother, and the kiss earlier that day had just felt… wrong. Yes, she had kissed him. She had been so sure that he was what she wanted. Yes, she had carried on kissing him, had wrapped her arms around him, had smiled against his lips. But that was only because she didn't want to hurt him. And because, she had been imagining his lips to belong to someone else…

She felt herself blush at the mere memory of her thoughts. She had started out kissing Aang, but as soon as she realized the kiss meant nothing her mind had zoomed off in the direction she wanted it to go. And Aang had grown taller, had gained shaggy black hair, had changed his eye colour and his body temperature… And she had smiled at the image, and hadn't corrected Aang when he thought she was smiling at him. Now she was trapped in a room full of her happy friends with a brother next to her who thought she loved him. And the real person she loved was nowhere in sight.

Katara stopped clapping and her hands fell limply into her lap. She had no idea what to do, and there was nobody she could ask for help. Or was there? Surely talking to Zuko would make everything clearer? He would know what to do; he always knew what to do. And they'd figure it out together, once her confession was out in the open. Making up some excuse to Aang she left the room and began searching for Zuko, careful to remain silent.

Unbeknownst to her, Mai was doing the same thing. And the noblewoman found the Firelord first, sitting on a balcony and staring at the stars.

"What are you brooding about?"

He turned his head slightly to her but did not answer, just kept on staring. Mai walked closer to him and realized that he wasn't staring at the stars after all; his eyes were trained firmly on the moon. Mai frowned, not liking that fact at all. She rubbed Zuko's shoulder but he didn't react at all. With a sigh she sat on his lap, and finally got his attention.

"What's on your mind?"

Zuko sighed, knowing he couldn't tell her. It would hurt her immensely, and the hurt had no point now that Katara had made her choice. He stared at Mai and envisioned himself staying with her. It would never be one hundred percent honest, but it was better than both of them having no one. He forced a small smile onto his lips and stroked her cheek, banishing the images of darker skin and sapphire blue eyes.

"Nothing," he answered her untruthfully.

Then he gently pulled her head down and kissed her, unaware of Katara who had just arrived on the balcony door. His eyes were closed, so he did not see the pain and hurt on her face and in her eyes. He did not hear the self-doubt and misery her thoughts turned into. He didn't see the tears that she cried for him, curled up on the stairs. And when he and Mai returned downstairs to the little party, he thought her hand had been in Aang's all along.

-x-x-x-

There was a deadly silence in the air that was thick with smoke and bleached bloody by the flames. The gaang all stood, frozen and weary, on the edges of the Fire Nation palace. Iroh stood a way behind them, holding back the guards who wanted to rush in. His eyes were trained on the same thing everybody was staring at: Azula.

The princess stood on a roof a few meters above them, her hair cut short like a boy's and her face twisted in a mask of pure fury and hate. How she had escaped from the mental institution nobody knew, and they didn't have much time to find out whilst dodging her flames. Then she had pivoted herself onto a roof with a shriek, and they had all frozen into a staring battle with her. Nobody had moved for over five minutes, and the tension was getting to all of them.

"I say we take her out," Sokka muttered, his eyes narrowed with dislike. "We know she's dangerous; I don't want to take any chances."

"The guards from the asylum are nearly here," Katara murmured back. "I saw Iroh get their Hawk. I think we should just keep her busy until they get here."

"I agree with Katara. She's ill; we can't hurt her," Aang whispered.

"Well _I _agree with Sokka; let's kick her butt!" Toph hissed, cracking her knuckles menacingly.

"Zuko?" Suki whispered to the Firelord on her left. "What do you think we should do?"

He paused for a long moment, and Katara longed to reach out for him as she realized how hard it must be for him to make that decision.

"Go inside the palace," he finally murmured back. "Don't make any sudden movements or anything. The healers can take care of her when they get here."

Toph sighed in disappointment but relaxed her stance and turned to walk slowly back into the palace. Azula's eyes flickered to her for a second, but then they returned to the larger group. Katara, Aang, Sokka and Suki all followed Toph just as slowly, complying, however grudgingly, to Zuko's request. Just as Sokka, the most reluctant to go inside and therefore the last one in the line, reached Iroh's position, a screech filled the air that chilled all of them to the bone.

They all whipped around to see Zuko turning back to his sister quickly, his hands at his sides and nowhere near ready enough to protect him. Azula's lightning bolt hit him straight in the chest and he didn't even have time to scream before he hit the ground. For one shivering, unreal second there was silence more complete than anything in the world. And then the gaang erupted. As one they surged towards the princess, cries ripping out of their throats and the thought of letting Azula be completely forgotten.

Aang blew her off the roof with his Airbending, and Toph got her in a pile of rocks even before she hit the ground. Sokka and Suki rushed forwards and they were in time to engage with her as she struggled free of the earth bonds. Katara, on the other hand, rushed straight to Zuko and immediately applied pressure to the wound, trying to stop the blood that was flowing from it like a river after rainfall. She vaguely noticed Iroh's knees give out where he stood, and her heart would have panged for him if it weren't already too busy tearing itself apart.

"No. Zuko, no. Please."

She didn't even realize it was her speaking until she ran out of breath. Gasping for more air and trying to see past the tears, she blot out the sounds of the raging battle beside her and focused solely on Zuko. If she'd thought the first lightning wound his sister had given him was bad, she was proved horribly wrong then. She pulled all the water she could find onto her hands and paced them over Zuko's chest, relieved when her hands started to glow. But her relief shattered almost at once: Zuko was dying. She fought the sobs that started to wrack her body and pressed deeper, trying her hardest to heal him.

She knit together some of his skin, only to have it tear apart again under her hands. The fresh opening brought Zuko back to consciousness, but as soon as he opened his eyes she wished he would fall back under blackness again. The raw pain she saw in her two favourite spots of gold was enough to leave her choking on her tears and fear and misery. And then he screamed, and she felt as though the whole world was collapsing. Zuko never screamed. Zuko was too strong. No, no, no, it couldn't be happening…

"Shhh," she managed to choke out. "Shh, it's okay. I have you. I'm not going to let you…" She grit her teeth and used her tears as extra water, shutting her eyes and putting more power into her healing.

Zuko tried to keep quiet after she asked him to. But in the long, long time it had taken Katara's plea to register in his foggy and confused mind more pain had come, and he couldn't remember how to stop the yells escaping his throat. There was just so much agony. Every breath he took felt like being burned a hundred times over, and he began to wonder why he was bothering to breathe at all. The pain in his chest kept dimming for a few seconds before flaring up even worse than before. And, worst of all, he could hear his heart begin to slow in his own ears. And a part of him wished Katara would stop trying to save him because surely death had to be better than this. Suddenly he could no longer remember how to breathe properly, and he began to pant, craving the oxygen and relief that never seemed to come. The fog was closing in again and he welcomed it, even as Katara started begging him to stay…

Three huge boulders threw themselves at Azula, and the girl dodged them just in time. She turned back to her attackers with true fear in her wild, wide eyes, but there was no mercy on any of their faces.

"You bitch!" Toph screamed, stamping her foot and sending half of the courtyard floor at the princess in her rage. There were tears running unchecked down her face and she was shaking. "You… You…"

Azula laughed at her, her head cocked to one side.

"Zuzu really wanted to take a long nap. And not even the Avatar could save him. He's going to go flutter, flutter," she purred, miming a heartbeat with her hand. "and then whoosh." Her hand stayed still, and she grinned demonically.

Sokka and Toph both started forwards furiously, but Aang stopped them all in their tracks by uttering a sound they had never heard before. The young Avatar was crying, hands balled into fists as his Earthbending confirmed that Zuko was dying. He was shaking from head to toe, and his breaths were coming in short, irregular gasps.

"You killed my brother," he whispered in a raw voice. His eyes shot open, and they were glowing, setting his tattoos off too. "_You killed my brother_!"

He levitated off the ground, air forming a raging ball around him. His teeth were grit and tears still poured from his glowing eyes, but he was no longer shaking. Azula shrieked and tried to fling herself backwards, but Aang knocked her down with one wave of his hand. Then he advanced, slowly and purposefully, and trapped the princess beneath him with rocks. After the rocks, he froze her down with water, paying no heed to her screams or snarls. Then he raised his right hand, but stopped what he was doing when Toph reached up and grabbed his other hand.

"The asylum soldiers are here," she told him softly. "We need to help Zuko."

Aang cast another look at Azula before he sank back down to the ground, his eyes and tattoos returning to normal. He paid no attention to the gawking soldiers and instead turned away from the trapped Firebender and ran towards Zuko, his hand still in Toph's. Suki and Sokka followed the two after Sokka knocked her out with a vicious blow from his sword. As the four reached Katara and Zuko the sunset began, and Aang could not help but look at it. Most Fire Nation sunsets were brilliant in their beauty, but the one that night was ugly and ruined. The bit of the setting sun Aang could see through the thick smog reminded him only of blood and suffering and pain.

Crouching down beside the others he forced himself to look at Zuko and felt the world stop. Even with Katara's glowing hands there he could see how bad the wound was, and it almost killed him just to see it. If he had just been there… If he had just done his job and protected Zuko… Katara's sob directed his wet eyes to her, and he felt his heart disappear altogether. His Waterbending teacher was sobbing so hard she could barely keep her arms still, and he knew that that meant she couldn't save the Firelord. He wanted to reach out and hold her, but he felt too much like a breaking child to be of any comfort to anybody.

"Aang." Katara's voice was thick with tears. "Aang, you're the Avatar. Do something. Please do something!"

The young Airbender flinched and opened his mouth to tell her he could do nothing, as much as he wanted to. But before the words were out of his mouth Katara looked up at him, and another blow of impossible pain shattered through him. He had always been able to read Katara's eyes; it was something he prided himself in. And so he had noticed the little looks and the secret smiles those blue eyes had given away to somebody who was not he. Every single time he'd seen it in her eyes he'd just fought harder and harder, sure his efforts were bringing her closer to him. But at that moment, when she looked at him with eyes red from tears she was still crying, he knew he'd lost the fight. All his efforts had been in vain.

Because Katara's eyes were clearer than they'd ever been: _Please save him. I love him._

And suddenly Aang didn't know which one was worse: losing his brother to the Spirits or losing the woman he loved to his brother. Or had she never been his in the first place? Suffocating pain enveloped him, and fresh tears came to his eyes that threatened to choke him. He could say or do nothing except look into the two points of blue he loved so much and read the truth in them. The tears spilled over, but nobody would ever know what they were for.

"Katara." It was Sokka who broke the silence by touching his sister's arm. "Katara, it's full moon tonight."

Katara looked at the half-hidden moon and then back at her brother with uncomprehending eyes. The confusion changed to realization, the realization to horror, and the horror to denial as she began to shake her head.

"No. No! It's _monstrous_. It's wrong and a killer and it can be used for nothing but _hate_!"

"How do you know?" Sokka challenged her. "There are only two people on earth who know how! It's still a very, very new form of bending. So how do you know if it can heal or not?"

His sister just continued to shake her head, her hands still pressed firmly to Zuko's chest. Toph suddenly reached out and put her hand on Katara's in the gentlest gesture they had ever seen her perform.

"It's our only hope now," she whispered.

The Waterbender shuddered and looked away, fresh tears leaking from her eyes. Toph gently removed her hand and Katara slowly turned her face towards Zuko again. Pain shot across her face as she saw the extent of the damage again, and she took a shuddering breath as if to steady herself. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on Zuko's body, and for the first time since facing the Southern Raiders she became acutely aware of another person's blood. This time, rather than manipulating it to her will she pushed herself closer and closer to it, fighting the force that was trying to keep her back with gritted teeth…

And suddenly, she was inside Zuko's body. She could feel him all around her, and his pain was suddenly her own, albeit in a weaker form. She managed not to scream out loud at the agony and fear the pain brought, and instead she delved deeper into Zuko's blood. She still had her eyes closed, and so she did not see the blue glow around her hands turn blood red and snake its way up to her elbows. But she did feel Zuko's reaction to her intrusion, and his fear nearly tore her heart in two.

_Shh, it's me. I'm going to help you. Hold on, Zuko, please_, she whispered in her mind, not even bothering to wonder if he could hear her.

With her Waterbending she spread out along the Firelord's body until she found his chest. Again, she had to hold back a scream as she saw the extent of the damage from a new angle. She forced the fear and horror away and focused on healing him, suddenly very aware that she had no clue what she was doing. Tentatively she asked two bits of Zuko's flesh to heal, and she was surprised when they obeyed her unspoken command. More confident, she did the same with the rest of the wound, becoming more and more stern with the blood under her command as the healing grew easier.

Suddenly she felt Zuko's breathing become easier, and if she could have cried with relief she would have. She went back to work, but found it harder and harder to heal him. It was as though she was slipping away from Zuko, back into the real world. Alarmed, she tried to burrow into him again, but the force pulling her back was too strong. One second she was in Zuko, the next she was staring down at her red hands and the next blackness swam over her.

"Katara!"

"Is she okay?"

"What happened?"

"I think she overexerted herself… Bloodbending is hard, you know. That's why they need the full moon in the first place…"

"Katara? Can you hear me?"

She fought back the oblivion fiercely and won. Sokka's anxious face swam slowly into view, and she realized she was lying flat on her back on something cold. She felt something sticky on her hands, and she remembered everything in a flash. With a gasp she sat bold upright, nearly head-butting her surprised brother. The world swam a bit before her eyes, but she didn't care. Instead she bent back over Zuko, looked over him for a second and then turned back to her friends when she could see nothing because of the blood.

"Is he…? Did I…?" Her voice was hoarse.

"We don't know," Suki whispered. "You almost passed out and none of us are healers…"

Trying to keep it together she bent back down and gently stroked Zuko's cheek. Her fingers left a trail of blood over his pale white skin, and the action cased Aang to whimper very quietly.

"I'm going to need more water," she told them, removing her fingers.

"Katara… you haven't got any energy left…"

"I do," she snarled, beginning to cry again. "I do and I'm going to heal him!"

Suki sighed and gently began a soothing speech, rubbing Katara's shoulders softly. But the Waterbender wasn't listening. She'd seen a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye and she was investigating it, knowing the flaring hope was almost sure to be crushed….

"That's twice now."

Suki shut up at once as everybody's heads snapped towards the place where the weak, hoarse voice had come from. Katara began to laugh in pure, shocked relief as her eyes met the two gold ones she loved the most.

"Let's try not to make it a third time, okay? Healing lighting wounds isn't as easy as I make it look."

Zuko's lips twitched as he attempted to smile, and Toph started yelling. As she hurled abuse and swearwords at Zuko, Sokka yelled over her for Iroh, who arrived by his nephew's side faster than they'd ever have imagined. It was chaos after that as everybody tried to talk at once and happiness and relief made them all almost giddy. In the end they managed to determine that Katara would stay outside with Zuko while the rest went in to get his bedroom ready to be a makeshift infirmary (Zuko was strong enough to refuse to go to the hospital even with Katara telling him over and over that he was still very hurt) or to go and fetch the healers who would help Katara get him to his room. As they all entered the palace, Mai came down the hallway towards them, her face stark white and her lips thin. Aang caught her hand as she was about to head outside to Zuko.

"Mai, it's over," the Avatar told her in a soft voice. "We've lost."

"What?" The noblewoman looked down at him as though he was insane. "What are you talking about?"

"It's over," Aang repeated in a hollow voice, but she ignored him and pulled herself free.

Aang was the only one who didn't turn when Mai gasped in shock as she opened the door. The sight that greeted them all was that of Zuko lying flat on his back with Katara bent low over him. Tears were running down Katara's face still, but she did not look like she was in pain as she kissed Zuko with all she was worth.

"It's over," Aang whispered for a third time, and Mai's hand dropped away from the door slowly. "I fought hard to keep her. And I… I know you fought as hard as I did. But we lost the fight. It's over; they've won."

The black haired girl closed the door and leant her forehead against it, her face mirroring the pain that was in the Avatar.

"Well." Her voice was flat. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't see it coming. You're right; I fought damn hard for him. But I guess I always knew…"

She trailed off and then walked away, her expression blank and concealing. Aang watched her go and then walked off without another word, ready to go and howl out his pain somewhere else.


	5. Date

**Day Four: Date**

* * *

**Summary: **Ba Sing Se is a wonderful city for a date… unless you mess the night up so badly your crush never wants to see you again. How do you prevent this from happening? Why, by asking your good friend along to arbitrate, of course. How were you supposed to know your date had the same thought and that your two arbitrators would start enjoying the night as much as you? Taang and Sukka as well as Zutara.

**AN: **This one is a little shorter than the rest, and pretty vague too. But I like it somewhat; it made me smile. Excuse the OOC-ness and my own random humour. If you like it, hate it, loathe it, detest it or have some suggestions for it please review. I like reviews more than cookies, and that's saying something.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own A:TLA, Zutara week or the ideas of the different meanings of 'date'.

* * *

Avatar Aang had many weapons at his disposal. Not only was he a master of all four elements, but he'd also learnt to master a sword in the two years since the war had ended. But above all his bending, his swordsmanship and his flexibility, his biggest weapon was a certain look that could melt even the hardest of hearts.

A look he was giving Zuko with all his might.

"Please, Zuko! Please, please, please, please, _please_!"

The Firelord grit his teeth and stabbed the scroll he was writing with much more force than was necessary. He took a deep breath to calm himself and stared resolutely at the table to avoid the huge, pleading eyes of the Avatar. How in Agni's name could a fourteen-year-old boy get his eyes to be that large and _pleading_? Zuko made a mental note to tell his uncle, for about the hundredth time, that coming to Ba Sing Se for a 'change in scenery' was a bad idea.

"Aang." Zuko tried to remain calm. "I really think it's a bad idea for me to-"

"But it's not!" Aang interrupted at once. "It will make everything so much better and easier and more comfortable! Please, Zuko!"

Zuko sighed again. "I don't understand you. You've waited almost six months to ask her out on a date, and when you finally do you want-"

"But that's just it; I didn't ask her," Aang interrupted again. "We kinda both made a mutual decision to go to the festival together. But I can't go alone! What if I say or do something stupid? What if I eat the wrong things or… don't act like I should or do something so crazy that she hates so much that she hates me and walks away and never speaks to me again, let alone agrees to go on another date…Please, Zuko. I need you there. To smooth things over if they get weird or complicated." Even his voice was pleading now.

"But why _me_?" Zuko was exasperated; being the third wheel on a date was not something he would accept with open arms.

"Because she _likes _you." Aang stood right in front of him, so he had nowhere to look except in those wide, pleading eyes. "Please?"

Zuko growled and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. He was never going to listen to Uncle's 'advice' ever again.

-x-x-x-

A demanding Toph was bad enough. But a demanding Toph who was also pleading was another thing altogether. Katara couldn't decide whether to be amused or frightened by the teen that was shadowing her everywhere she went shouting either pleas or threats to her back.

"Come _on_, Katara! I've even said _please_!"

The Waterbender sighed and turned to face her friend with a hand on her hip. "You know, I _really_ don't get you. You've waited almost forever for him to ask you out and when he finally does you want to ruin it."

"He didn't really ask me out," Toph sniffed. "We both just expressed a desire to go to the festival and then decided to go together. And I _don't _want to ruin it. That's why I'm asking you to come along! So that if I send out the wrong signals or eat the wrong thing or belch too loudly or something you can save the situation! Come on, I'm your friend!"

"Why _me_? Can't you take Sokka or somebody?"

"Sokka's way too busy with Suki, you know that. Besides, he _likes _you. We both know he does." She stamped her foot impatiently. "Just say yes, already! You'll be helping me; I know you like doing that. And… and… I won't tell Sokka you like Zuko yet…"

"What? I don't like Zuko! He's a really, really close friend but nothing more!"

"Yeah, and I'm a pentapus." Toph felt Katara's anger rise and she held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay! You win! You don't like him more than a friend! I read your vibrations wrong! Now could you _please _just say yes?"

Katara rubbed her temples. "Toph… It just sounds like a really bad idea…"

"I'll…" The Earthbender thought for a while. "I'll owe you big time! And I'll stop using your toothbrush to clean my toes!"

"I really don't think that- Eeew! No wonder it tasted… Aaaw, gross, Toph!"

"So is that a yes?"

Toph grinned in triumph when Katara growled and threw her hands up in defeat.

-x-x-x-

The festival was already in full swing as Katara and Toph made their way down to the restaurant where they'd meet Aang. Toph kept fingering her loose hair nervously, not used to having the black mass around her shoulders. Katara slapped her hands away, afraid she'd dislodge the flower that she'd entwined carefully into Toph's hair and the Earthbender scowled. Then suddenly an arm waved above the crowd in front of them, and they pushed through to find Aang beaming at them.

"Hey Toph… Wow… Uhm…" He went rather red. "You look… Wow… I… Nice hair… And…" He blinked. "Hey, Katara! You came too?"

"Yeah, uhm… I asked her to come. She wanted to see the festival too. That's okay, right?" Toph sounded uncharacteristically nervous.

Aang smiled. "Sure it is! I brought someone too, if that's okay?"

It was only then that Katara noticed the heavily scowling Zuko. From the look on the Firelord's face, she highly doubted that he'd come willingly. She bit back a laugh as he glared at a group of girls who were staring at him as they passed.

"So… you hungry? This place is great." Aang gestured towards the restaurant they were standing in front of.

"That sounds great."

"Great, then."

She smiled a little nervously at Aang who hesitantly hooked his arm in with hers. Toph jumped but didn't protest and so they made their way to the back of the restaurant linked together. Katara fell into step with Zuko.

"So you were conned into coming too, huh?"

"Aang's puppy-look should be banned," Zuko muttered, and Katara laughed.

"It doesn't look like we'll have to do much, though," she said, eyeing the two speculatively.

"Thank Agni. But you have to promise that you'll do half the work if things do get awkward."

"I promise." She smiled warmly at him. "I got your back."

The four of them made their way to a large table outside the restaurant. Zuko found himself seated next to Aang with Katara across from him and Toph next to her. When the menus came Toph told Aang to order for her, which made him pale considerably and shoot Zuko a panicked look. The Firelord sighed and read through the list of dishes quickly, finally pointing one out to Aang he was sure Toph would like. Aang gave him a weak grin and Katara laughed silently at his expression from behind her menu. The waiter returned and Aang proudly made his and Toph's orders.

"I think I'll have the fish," Katara said speculatively. "With-"

"Scrap that order," Zuko broke across her, making her look at him in surprise. "She'll have the mango dish and I'll have the spicy rice." Katara's surprised look turned to a glare and she opened her mouth furiously. "Trust me," Zuko told her firmly.

They stared at each other for a long moment while the waiter watched nervously. Finally she nodded rather stiffly and the man hurried away, obviously glad he wouldn't be caught in a fight. Toph and Aang made small talk with everybody, but after a while they both acted as if Zuko and Katara weren't even at the table. They were both starting to relax and become themselves, and this resulted in a bit of subtle flirting that got more and more obvious as time dragged on. Katara and Zuko were both very glad when the food finally came; you couldn't talk much with your mouth full.

Katara eyed her dish with a raised eyebrow. It looked rather odd and it was a strange peach colour; she really didn't feel like taking the chance and putting some of it in her mouth. Zuko saw her look and gestured with his chopsticks, his eyebrow raised. She sighed and took a little of it, popping it into her mouth after she'd steeled herself. Her mouth nearly exploded with taste. It was sweet yet had a tang that made her tastebuds feel like they were dancing. It was quite honestly one of the most delicious things she had ever tasted in her life.

Zuko saw the expression on her face and grinned smugly. "Good?"

She nodded vigorously. "It's amazing! How did you know?"

"Many stores in Ba Sing Se make the dish; I've tasted it before and I know you like that type of thing."

She smiled her thanks at him and his smirk gentled to a smile that made his eyes warm. She quickly ducked her head and began eating her food again. Next to her Toph was grinning at a story Aang was telling with many arm movements and sound effects. The Waterbender shook her head in amusement; so much for her having to be around to quell the awkwardness. She was glad Zuko was around, otherwise she would have been eating as an outcast.

_I wonder if he's glad I'm here too_. She glanced at him and found him calmly eating. _Probably not; he's used to being alone. He would have been fine without me._

She lowered her head and ate in rather glum silence for a while. Then, suddenly, she felt something brush her foot. Putting it down to a mouse she carried on eating until it happened again. This time, whatever it was made a distinct stroking motion from her ankle up to her calf. With a jolt she realized that the 'something' was another foot. She gaped at Zuko, who was staring at her with the same embarrassed and shocked look on his face. Both of their faces turned confused as they saw the other's look and then in unison they both ducked under the table to see what was going on. Aang and Toph were definitely playing footsie with each other under the table, but every so often one of them would misjudge the distance and they would end up nudging either Zuko or Katara instead. Both of the older teens firmly moved their feet out of the way. The expression on Zuko's face made Katara start to giggle, and she had to hide herself in her bowl to mask her laughter.

Toph suddenly gasped and sat upright. "Oh my gosh! Aang, that man over there has Rabiroo babies!" She pointed to a man a few meters away who was carrying a large cage with care.

Aang blinked, seemed to get an idea, and turned shyly back to Toph. "Want to touch one?"

"Do you think he will let us?" She was definitely excited.

"You'll be surprised at what you can do when you're with the Avatar," he grinned before taking her hand and pulling her gently towards the man.

"Do you think they'll notice if we leave?" Zuko asked, watching them go.

"I doubt they'll notice if we cover our bodies with oil and set ourselves on fire," Katara snorted.

"Then let's get out of here."

Katara's face fell. "We can't just leave them… Besides, we haven't even had dessert yet."

"I'll buy you something on the way back," he promised. "You know they won't mind us leaving. Besides, the way things are going now they're going to start kissing soon and then…" Both of them shuddered slightly at the thought.

"Good point. Okay, let's go."

She started to dig in her bag but he stopped her, taking out enough money to pay for both meals. She frowned and started to protest but he just rolled her eyes, picked her bag off the table and calmly slung it around her shoulder again.

"You should put more of your money into your own economy," she grumbled half-heartedly, trying to hide her blush.

"The way Uncle shops _most _of my money goes into my own economy," he answered with a shake of his head, and she had to grin at that.

The crowd in the streets was thicker now and after they nearly got separated for the fifth time Zuko linked her arm with his in the same fashion Aang had led Toph into the restaurant. Zuko didn't look at her when he did it, and she suspected that he was waiting for her to protest against the action. But she didn't; it was practical, and it somehow… felt… nice… They walked past a tiny little shop that Zuko went into, telling her to wait outside. She tried to peek through the windows to see what he was doing but the shop was too dark for her to see. After a few minutes Zuko came out carrying too large bowls, one carrying a dark caramelized substance and the other carrying custard. He handed the custard to her with a smile and she almost blushed again, thanking him a little too warmly.

They walked on, linked loosely at the elbows again, both enjoying their deserts. Zuko caught her looking at his and, grinning, offered her a taste. It was sweet and spicy at the same time, and she couldn't decide whether she liked it or not. To hide her embarrassment at being fed in the middle of the street she took a rather large spoonful of custard, and felt some mess onto her chin. Zuko's thumb appeared out of nowhere and he gently wiped the custard away. To her surprise he then licked the custard off his thumb, and when he noticed her staring he turned almost the same colour red she was. The rest of the way home passed in comfortable silence, and Katara found that she was very happy by the time she reached the door of the place she was staying in. Her arm slacked out of its hold with Zuko's, and she looked up to find him staring at her.

"Thanks for buying me dinner and dessert and for walking me all the way home." She smiled at him.

"Yeah, because now I have to walk all the way across the street to get to where I'm staying," he replied.

She grinned. "Still. Thanks."

He nodded and then for the first time the silence between them became awkward. She fished around for something to say and grabbed onto the first thought that popped into her head.

"So both of us went to help someone else's date and we ended up kinda having one ourselves." _Stupid! Why the heck did you say that? _

He blinked and she found herself blushing at her words. But then his gaze turned thoughtful. "Yeah. I guess we did… So…" He looked around and self-consciously rolled his shoulders. "We should… uhm… do it again… sometime?"

"Yeah. Yeah it was… fun…"

"Better than last time," he agreed with a mutter.

She frowned. "Last time?"

"Yeah I was… staying here. During the war. And this girl… well she was kind of stalking me… And I went out with her and… Well it kind of ended with me running away and never seeing her again…"

She giggled, and his ears reddened. "Yeah most dates don't end like that. Mostly they end with a kiss goodnight." Zuko looked at her, and she suddenly wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole. "I mean, real dates. Not… dates that aren't actually dates but could be in their activities and… stuff…" She stared at the wall so she didn't have to see Zuko staring at her blankly. "Because, really, that's what we had tonight… It's not like you asked me to go to the festival or anything. Not that I'm blaming you! I mean I-"

She was stopped by something warm against her lips. Something warm that tasted of caramelized custard and spicy food and a million other things she couldn't identify but wanted to. And she found herself relaxing and floating and feeling lighter than she had in a very, very long time. Then a warm hand was cupping the back of her head and she was being pulled down the step she was standing on to be surrounded by heat and there was hair in her fingers and shivers down her spine and the beauty of the night was nothing compared to what she was feeling…

"Goodnight, Katara," Zuko breathed in her ear.

She watched him go with a different kind of blush on her face and she couldn't help but touch her lips as though she was trying to keep the feeling on them forever. She smiled brilliantly and headed a little giddily inside, not even noticing the strange looks her brother gave her.

-x-x-x-

Two days later Katara found herself in the same library as Zuko. She hadn't seen the young Firelord since he had kissed her, but she knew he was busy and so it didn't bother her. Aang and Toph's date had gone very well, and both of them now walked around everywhere holding hands. Katara found it rather cute, really, but she was rather relieved that they hadn't gotten to the kissing in public yet; Sokka and Suki were bad enough already.

As she sorted through the scrolls she could feel Zuko's eyes straying to her back every now and then. She shivered in excitement and anticipation. It had been two whole days; something was bound to happen. Maybe they wouldn't talk about the kiss, but he would surely ask her out. He'd been the one to suggest they do it again, so it was only a matter of time before he asked her for a –

"Katara? Date?"

She beamed but took a deep breath before she turned, eyes sparkling and mouth open to accept. She stopped, however, when she saw him frowning at the scroll he was working on.

"I think it's about the fourth of the month, right?"

Disappointment hit her with the force of a brick wall and for a long moment she couldn't remember how to speak. Zuko looked up at her silence and he frowned at her expression. She cleared her throat against the lump that was forming there.

"Yeah. The fourth."

She turned her back on him and blinked back the irrational tears forming in her eyes. So he hadn't asked her out yet. Big deal. He would, sooner or later. It was the only thing that could rationally happen after that kiss. Unless… She shook her head and beat away the voice of doubt. No. He would ask her out. It _would _happen.

-x-x-x-

Later that day she was sitting on her balcony and eating lunch in peace and quiet. She had bought a ready-made meal for very cheap by a nearby store, as she hadn't felt like cooking. It looked nice enough, and she was just about to take a bit when she saw Zuko waving frantically from below to get her attention.

"Date!" he roared at her, and her stomach flipped.

A smile spread across her face and her heart jumped pleasantly, but she decided he had to do better than that. "What?" she called back down to him, trying to hide the grin.

"It's passed its freshness date!" he called back. "It's rotten, that's why it was so cheap! I just saw a guy get sick off the scoundrel's food."

Katara's smile slipped off her face and she sniffed the food in her hand. Zuko was right; it was definitely off. She turned back to thank the Firelord to find that he was already gone. Disgusted at more than the food she tossed the bowl to the side, trying to squash down the anger and disappointment by folding her arms across her chest. She was just hoping for too much; Zuko was still shy and awkward around girls. She'd just have to be patient and not jump to conclusions all the time. She sighed and scowled heavily at the offending food, blaming it because there was nobody else to blame.

-x-x-x-

Katara sighed in frustration and rolled her eyes to the heavens. She'd _finally _managed to get her brother to leave Suki alone for three seconds and now she was stuck waiting outside a store while he browsed and contemplated over every little object inside. It was actually disturbing how much her brother liked shopping. A familiar groan of frustration reached her ears and she scanned over the crowd to find Zuko rubbing his temples while Iroh slipped quickly into another shop. Apparently the young Firelord was having the same trouble as she was. He found her staring and rolled his eyes, annoyed. She grinned and gave him an "I know how you feel" look before turning away. The longer she stared at him, the harder she'd wish he would walk over to her and ask her out. And after her previous two mistakes, she was weary of even thinking of the subject of her and Zuko on a date.

"Date?"

Zuko's voice was right by her ear and she jumped, whirling to face him with hope in her heart. Maybe he'd finally put two and two together and realized she wanted… Her hope was shattered as he held up a bag full of dates. With a sigh Katara took a fruit and bit into it savagely. The disappointment was now second to the frustration; how many more hints could she possibly leave? And even worse was the fact that the little voice of doubt was making itself known rather loudly.

Sokka came out of the shop and she said a stiff goodbye to Zuko. All the way home she brooded about the subject of her and the Firelord on a date. And the more she thought about it, the more she yearned for it. And the more she yearned for it, the more frustrated she grew. What was taking him so long? And did he _have _to use that word every time he saw her? Or was it her fault because she was looking for the word so hard? No, she decided firmly, it was Zuko's fault. It had been nearly _three days_. He had to know she was dying for him to ask her! He was intelligent, so why couldn't he see?

She sulked all the way home and through dinner and by the time she was taking in the washing after the dishes were done she was more than a little mad. _It's just been a frustrating day _she soothed herself. _Everything will look better in the morning. Then I'll see that the anger and the disappointment are all silly. It will be fine as long as nobody says the word- _

"Date?" Zuko's voice called to her.

She whirled around with flashing eyes, her last nerve snapped. "It's the fourth of the month, everything I ate was fresh and, _no, _I don't want any of your stupid fruit!"

She expected him to look taken aback and surprised, but instead a little smirk crossed his face. His reaction took Katara off guard and she stared. And then it all clicked together.

"You…. you did that on purpose… You… You…" She was too mad and shocked to even yell at him.

"The first time was accidental," Zuko said, still smirking. "But I will admit that the rest were intentional. Uncle always said everything is better when the lady isn't expecting it, so I had to throw you off. And you're cute when you're mad." She glowered at him and he chuckled. "So how about it? Would you like to go out on a date with me?"

She very nearly told him to go jump in a lake. But then an idea struck and her glare turned to a smirk. "Fine. But you're cooking me dinner. In that apron I saw you wear when you worked in the teashop here."

Zuko winced, but didn't object. "Fine. I suppose you do get to decide on the terms." Then he noticed her smug smirk and his forehead furrowed. "What?" He quickly went through the conversation in his head, but he couldn't find anything that would make her look that victorious. "Are you going to make me wear something funny under it?" he asked suspiciously.

"Nope," she grinned, still smirking. "You're not going to wear anything you own under it."

"Then what?" He was confused until her sentence sunk in and his ears reddened. "Oh…"

Katara giggled and kissed him, rather looking forward to the date.

* * *

**AN: **I commend you if you don't get Katara's terms completely. It means you have a pure mind. Unlike me, the rabid and obsessive Zuko fangirl.


	6. Harmony

**Day Five: Harmony**

* * *

**Summary: **Toph with supreme power has always promised to be more dangerous than a cranky dragon. So when, on her birthday, everybody has to do as she says the expected torture begins. But what will happen when she brings into motion her master plot?

**AN: **So this one is rather lame, but I didn't know which idea of 'harmony' I liked best so I just threw them all together. And besides, I've always wanted to give Toph ultimate power again: we all know she enjoyed being Melon Lord. And I have an excuse to the crappyness this fic: it's my gift to myself, so I didn't put too much effort into it xD PLEASE review, even if it's a bad one… I need all the con crit and kind words I can get.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or anything related to it. I wish I'd gotten the rights for my Birthday, but hey a girl can't have everything…

* * *

According to Toph Bei Fong, turning thirteen was a reason to celebrate. It meant she was no longer a child, but a teen. It meant she was one year closer to being independent. It meant that there would be good food and a party. It also meant that she could get away with more than she usually could with the excuse of it being her birthday. This fact was further emphasized when Iroh, who had almost insisted on planning her party for her, made an announcement that as the birthday girl Toph had supreme power: anything she said was law on that day.

This meant that Sokka had to comply when she handed him a heavily embroidered Earth Kingdom dress of her mother's. He complained the whole time he put it on, but he put it on nonetheless. And the rest of the gaang almost cried with laughter when they saw him. Even Suki, who was trying to remain calm for her boyfriend's sake, couldn't help but giggle at the sight of him. She later kissed him and told him he looked wonderful, but Sokka was too miserable to really believe her.

Her next act as Supreme Ruler was to sentence Aang to be her personal punching bag. The Avatar had gulped and sputtered but had finally agreed when he found that there was no way out of it. She sweetly promised him that she would not hit hard before she drove her fist into his shoulder with a force that sent him flying. Her mother was appalled by the gesture but the rest of her friends understood: Aang needed a bit of a reminder that he was still just a kid as the fame of being the Avatar had started to go to his head a bit again. And Toph in turn pretended she didn't notice Katara healing him every half an hour.

Her third act was to make Suki her personal masseuse. This was for an entirely selfish reason: Suki had the best hands out of the lot. As Toph lounged on the throne-like chair she had been presented with, the Kyoshi Warrior rubbed her shoulders, back, neck and ankles until she was red in the face and glowering. Toph let her take a five minute break and then called her back to start again once she had opened her presents.

Next she made Katara into her personal servant. This meant that the Waterbender had to do whatever she was told, no matter how ridiculous. At first she was just zooming back and forth to fetch the Earthbender things, but after a while Toph got bored and started giving her weirder instructions. Stand on you head. Recite the Fire Nation's old oath but change every third word to 'lame'. Tell me who you are and where you're from, except speak backwards. Go roll in mud. Grin idiotically at everybody who comes in. She did everything in grudging frustration except "Lick Momo", which she refused point blank to do.

When Zuko arrived Toph launched herself at him and firmly wrapped her legs around his waist, telling him that he was her own personal Appa for the rest of the day. Zuko had glared menacingly at his uncle, who had only grinned back. And so, with a sigh, the Firelord went in every direction the young Earthbender told him to go. He didn't complain once, and they all knew he would not simmer in his anger in fear of burning the little girl on his back. Katara shot him a knowing look as he walked past where she was spinning in place forty-five times, and he just shook his head, trying hard not to smile. As humiliating and stupid as it was, Toph in Supreme Power was quite amusing. And rather scary; he made many mental notes to_ never _let her rule the Fire Nation, even if it was just for one day.

The feast Iroh prepared for lunch made everybody except Sokka able to abandon the demands Toph had made of them. Lunch was a pleasant affair with everybody eating good food and poking fun at everything, as they had done when they had still traveled together. When they were full to the point of nearly bursting and very content, Toph leaned back and demanded some entertainment. Ideas were tossed around: a puppet show, a fighting display, a joke reading. But none of them interested the Earthbender. Then, suddenly, she grinned.

"I know what I want! I want a performance on that scroll Aang found in the Eastern Air Temple. The Description of Harmony, or whatever it was."

Aang agreed to recite the scroll that he had since learnt off by heart, and Katara and Zuko were chosen to be the 'dancers' as they were the only two of opposite elements. They traced a large circle and stood opposite each other as Aang jumped into the middle, raising his hands for effect.

"There are many forces in the world," he began the fire and water side of the scroll in a calm voice. "and all of them must co-exist in many forms. One of the greatest forms is inside two people of different elements." He gestured to Katara and Zuko, who crouched, ready to begin. "Fire is bold, strong and passionate, forging its own path in the world."

Zuko let loose five strong fireballs, pivoting to the middle of the circle just behind Aang. His face was calm and free of embarrassment or confusion; it was easy enough to mime Aang's narrative.

"Water is free and caring, moving with the pull of the world."

Katara formed three thin circles of water around her body and she wove in and out of them as she danced to the circle to land in a crouch behind Zuko.

"One rises with the sun."

Zuko made an arch of fire that started on the east side and ended in the west, taking care to bend far away from Aang and Katara.

"And one rises with the moon."

Katara raised the water above her head and formed it into a half moon shape that became full and then waned into nothingness. When she was done she looked at Zuko from the corner of her eye. He met her gaze and she could tell he was thinking about the Spirit Oasis too. That night seemed like an eternity ago; so much had changed. For one thing, she had hated him then. And now, after a year of being his close friend…

"One can grow as hot as the sun itself."

Zuko arched far back from everybody and breathed a gigantic stream of fire. Katara was standing at least seven meters away from him, and even she could feel the heat. When the fire was gone he smirked at her, and she was struck with an impossible thought: _Was he showing off for me? _

"The other is cold enough to freeze the underworld."

Katara waved her hands around steadily, drawing water from the air. She made it colder and colder until thousands of tiny ice crystals hung around her. Then she merged them together and arched them into the sky, making them fall in a neat line in front of the circle. She gave Zuko a smug look behind everybody's backs.

"One causes men's hearts to become black and dark from power."

Zuko's face changed to a grimace, and he shut his eyes while he mimed complete power. Katara felt her heart twist as she watched him; she knew exactly what he was thinking of as he bended. This time when he came to a stop he would not look at her; his face was hard and turned away.

"The other brings light and love into the world."

She danced lightly around the circle, glancing at Zuko every chance she could and wishing he would smile again. Seeing him hurt like that hurt her, to an extent that she wondered exactly how close they had gotten. She tried to catch his eye as she finished her weaving, light movements, but he still refused to look.

"One is destruction and death."

Zuko created a tornado of fire, and he ripped around the outside of the circle, his eyes black as he tore apart the imaginary foliage. And the imaginary families and lives she knew he saw in his mind's eye. She wanted to run to him and beg him to stop.

"One is healing and life."

She crouched low to the ground and snaked her way up, miming growth and new life. Then she skipped until she was right in his line of sight and mimed picking up something hurt and healing it. She saw him glance at her, and the sight of his scar took her back to Ba Sing Se. She had wanted to heal him then, but only now did she realize that he needed healing of another sort.

"But the destruction can also make people reborn."

Zuko's shoulders relaxed and he created a small fire on his palm, making it pulse like a heartbeat. He gently tossed it from hand to hand, making it grow bigger and stronger with each motion. Then, suddenly, it split in two before he gently set both flames free into the air.

"And the healing can take a man's own power away."

Katara felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. Hama's face swam before her eyes and she had to fight hard to choke down the horror and despair. Her hands were shaking when she raised them, and she mimed being a puppeteer while she fought the tears at the knowledge of her hidden power. She wasn't paying attention to where she was going, and she smacked right into Zuko. She would have fallen if he didn't catch her.

"Hey." His voice was quiet enough so only she would hear. "It's okay."

She looked at him with eyes brimming with hurt. "You don't understand. Those words are literal…"

"I know. I saw what you can do. It's like our lightning. It's cold and cruel only in the wrong hands and for the wrong purposes."

A tiny smile crossed her face and she secretly wiped away her tears while Aang did his own demonstration of water and fire as the scroll commanded.

"And, Zuko?" He looked at her curiously. "This scroll only makes generalizations; your heart is anything but destructive and black. Okay?"

His eyes warmed, and he thanked her with his look.

"One is passion."

Zuko grabbed her hands and spun her to the middle of the circle again, twirling and spinning her while she tried not to gape in surprise. Every move he made sang of raw passion, and she saw it in his eyes too as he spun her to a stop right in front of him again.

"The other is love."

Katara raised her hands again and crossed them at the wrists as though she was offering herself to the sun. Then she placed both hands over her heart before cupping an imaginary substance in her fingers and passing it on to Zuko by placing her hand over his heart. They looked at each other steadily the whole time.

"But no matter how different, the two can co-exist by choice and in harmony."

Without so much as a signal to one another both Zuko and Katara raised their right hands and crossed them in mid air, twirling a stream of their element in their other hand.

"The sun and moon can form a working cycle."

Katara did her moon dance again, but this time she did it around Zuko who was arcing his fire from the east to the west again. He watched her the whole time she danced, and it was all she could do to keep herself from looking back.

"The cold can stop the inferno, and the warmth can chase away the cold."

Zuko created a huge fire and Katara made a show of extinguishing it with her water. In the same fluid movement she froze the water and encased her hands with it. Zuko gently heated his palms and held her hands in his, melting the thick ice and warming her cold fingers. She wriggled her hands so they were in Zuko's grip more firmly.

"The light and dark can save each other from devastation."

Katara gently raised her hand and moved it slowly towards his forehead. Her fingers very lightly brushed his scar, and he did not flinch at all. When her middle and forefingers were in the middle of his forehead he copied her motion, brushing her cheek as he went.

"The death can be prevented by the healing, and the rebirth can give back a man's will."

Katara found that both her hands moved by themselves. Again, they touched the place where her heart was, and then they moved and settled on Zuko's chest, directly over the scar from Azula's lightning. Her eyes did not waver from his for an instant, and she wondered if she'd ever be able to look away. Zuko moved forward and created fire daggers, miming cutting off chains from Katara's wrists. As he did so her heart started beating faster, but it was not from fear. It was as though it had been suddenly freed.

"And together, the pure love and the lustful passion can create a romance that all the war in the world cannot break. Together, in perfect harmony, fire and water will _live_."

She didn't know who moved first, but suddenly she found that she was kissing him. And instead of wanting to break away, she wanted to move closer. She could feel the fire within him, but she was not scared. The scroll knew nothing; he was not dark or destructive or evil. He was pure and passionate and strong. And his heart was beating in time with hers, and his lips were moving at the same pace as hers were. She felt a piece of his internal fire settle comfortably in her own spirit, and she knew without question that it would live there peacefully. Zuko and her were in perfect harmony.

Toph smirked as she felt the vibrations. She'd gotten the present she'd really wanted after all.

* * *

**AN: **Zutara as a birthday gift? YES PLEASE!


	7. AU

**Day Six: AU**

* * *

**Summary: **A Zutara tale set in modern times, loosely based on the film Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Hakoda is a strong and kind professor, friends with only one of his old students who now works for a call center. On his deathbed Hakoda asks his old student to marry his daughter so she will be taken care of, and both agree to his request. But Katara does not love her new husband, and when she meets the mysterious man known only as The Blue Spirit it seems as though she will find love in somebody else's arms.

**AN: **Well. I managed to upload every fic on time until I reached Day 6. I don't know why but this one just didn't want to be written. Once I got it started it ran smoothly but actually starting it… I guess my muse exhausted itself with the rest of the Zutara Week pieces… Or maybe I shouldn't have left it to the last minute.

At first I was just going to recycle one of the fics I wrote for Opal-Dreams' Zutara fairytale contest. But then I remembered this little idea I've had for a fic for a long while:

Down here one of our TV channels shows a Bollywood movie every Saturday afternoon. And one Saturday I had nothing better to do, so I watched one. I completely fell in love with the movie; it has _the sweetest plot ever_ and I could totally imagine it being Zutara…

So I decided to cross Avatar over with the film **Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. **Just PLEASE note that it's only **LOOSELY **based on the plot of the movie because the movie is really, really long and I just don't have enough nerve to try and re-write its script any more than I already have. So. **Loosely **based on Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi Zutara story. Hope somebody enjoys it…

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the plots of either of the stories I used here! I love them both, though.

* * *

Wide blue eyes stared down the aisle of the church almost unseeingly. She could feel the fine white silk of her dress beneath her fingers, but its beauty brought her no more joy. It had been so long ago when she had deemed the dress absolutely perfect on first sight. She had sworn to decorate her hair beautifully, but now it hung loose and unadorned around her shoulders. It was the second time she was wearing the dress, but the first time she was staring down the aisle. And the man that was waiting for her was not the man she had set out to meet a week ago on the day that should have been the happiest of her life.

That day had been full of moonshine and roses, smiles and nervous giggles that lasted a full ten minutes. Then the news had come that had shattered her whole life. Her fiancé and brother were both dead, killed in an accident on the way to the wedding. Life had lost all meaning from that one sentence, and she'd thought things could just not get any worse. She was proved wrong when the news came that her father had had a heart attack.

She had barely made it to the hospital she had been such a mess. But she had somehow found the strength to pick up the phone and call somebody for a lift. The first three people she'd tried were unavailable and, out of sheer desperation, she called the only number her father had under 'Friends' in his address book. Zuko, being the person he was, picked up on the third ring. She'd barely sobbed out the news about her father before he was telling her to wait outside. He was at her house within ten minutes, although they seemed like an eternity to her. He did not speak while he drove her to the hospital, and although that was not uncommon for him- he was a very quiet man- she was grateful for the absence of small talk. It meant she could go to pieces in his passenger seat.

He had stayed outside her father's room when they had finally found it, but her father had asked the nurse to let him in. Katara would have been surprised if she hadn't been so distraught. Her father had talked a lot about Zuko, yes, but she had never thought the quiet man had ever been more than just another student to Hakoda. But as she clutched her dying father's hand she caught sight of Zuko's face and knew that her father was also a father to the mysterious scarred boy. A small part of her brain wanted to ask her dad about it: what had the quiet and essentially boring man that she'd only met three times to date done in her father's classes that had made him take the boy under his wing? But she did not ask, for she could not find the words. After all, nothing in life would ever be important again.

Then her father had said something she had not been expecting. Even in her depressed state she felt shocked. For Hakoda, pale and fading, looked straight into the golden eyes of his ex-student and asked him to marry his daughter.

"P… Professor Hakoda?" Zuko's scarred eye was as wide as it could go.

"Zuko… You've been like a son to me all these years. You know that. I need to know that Katara will be taken care of when I go. You're the only one I'd ever trust with her. And I know you'll look after her."

Her father gave Zuko a look that was unfathomable to Katara, but that made Zuko's entire face redden. He shifted in embarrassment, and refused to look at Katara's pale and shocked face.

"You want me to marry him?" she whispered to her father, her eyes finally dry.

Hakoda's fingers gently stroked his daughter's cheek. "Please. For me."

Silently Katara nodded, swallowing the fresh wave of tears. She would do it for her father, but only for him. She knew for a fact that she could never love again: there was no love left for her in the world. Hakoda's tired eyes filtered to Zuko, and Katara could not stop herself from looking too. Slowly Zuko nodded, and Hakoda smiled a tired, yet pleased smile. Zuko had looked at her with a calm look that spoke of fairness and honour, and even though she was a whirlwind of emotions there was no fear in her anywhere.

Zuko was giving her that same look as she walked towards him down the church aisle. There were very few people, and nobody was smiling. Just three days before they had all attended Hakoda's funeral in that same church. The minister went through the usual routine, and Katara and Zuko both followed him dutifully. But Katara knew it would not be a marriage like she'd always wanted and dreamed of: it would be loveless and based only on duty.

-x-x-x-

She was so nervous that her hands shook as she stirred their supper. She'd made up her mind to ask Zuko that evening, and the tension was getting to her. She didn't know what she would do if he said no. This dancing class seemed to be her only escape. It would be the place she could go to get rid of her mundane married life. It would be a place she could become the old Katara again: the free and vivacious Katara she had been before Aang had died. If she was denied this escape… Her stomach disappeared just thinking about it.

Then again, she had no real reason to believe Zuko would deny her the opportunity. She may not love him, but he had been increasingly kind and fair to her. He had given her the main bedroom all to herself and had moved to the guest room. He took her to every movie and theatre production she wanted to see, even when she could tell that he did not enjoy them at all. He never complained or whined or ordered her around, and sometimes his teasing was the only thing that kept her sane. In other words, he'd given her everything she'd wanted up until that point.

But the dancing classes were expensive. Very expensive. And they were not considered proper by most people, not to mention that it was common knowledge that the men at those classes did not have the best of values… But she had to try. He had to say yes…

Taking a deep breath she quietly dished him up some stew, and gave him a small smile when he thanked her. They ate in silence for five minutes before she gathered the courage to ask him. It all came out in a rush.

"There is this place that offers dancing classes three times a week and I… I wondered if you'd let me… go… I'll… I'll cut back on other luxuries to make up the price..."

There was a silence that stretched on forever, and Katara could not bring herself to look at him, even though she could feel his eyes boring holes into her head. The first night she had arrived at his house as his wife, while he was showing her her new bedroom, she had turned around and had been overwhelmed with the desire to ask him what had happened to his face. His left eye, the one that was scarred, was red and looked extremely painful. But the words died on her lips; it was not her place to ask him such personal questions. She'd wondered about it often since then, though, but she made sure he never caught her staring.

"You really want to go, don't you?' His voice was as quiet and rough as ever. She nodded, trying not to make the action too vigorous. "Then you can go. We'll make a plan for money."

She looked up into his mismatched eyes and beamed at him, more happiness than she'd felt in a long time bubbling inside of her. She almost skipped into the kitchen with the dishes, and she was too joyous to notice her husband watching her. Zuko's heart was aching inside his chest. She treated him like a master. She'd opened very little to him since they'd been married, but for that he did not blame her: he'd offered nothing of himself to her either. But for her to treat him like a lord, someone who ruled over her and set boundaries in her life… It hurt him more than he would ever admit.

The first time he had laid eyes on the beautiful girl he had fallen in love with her, but he had hidden his feelings well. Or so he'd thought, until Hakoda had given him that look on the day he had died. Perhaps he'd worn his love for his old professor's daughter on his sleeve after all, but she had not seen it. She still had no idea how much he truly cared for her. He sighed and rubbed his face. All he could do was continue to love her in the way he had been: quietly and diligently, giving her everything she could ever desire. That was the only option he had.

…Unless…

-x-x-x-

Katara had not felt excited for nearly five months and the sensation was foreign to her body. She did not find it unpleasant, however, and she did not fight the wide grin that covered her face as she stared around the dancehall. Vibrant colours flashed before her eyes as the rest of her classmates moved around the hall, stopping to chat or flirt with old friends. Every one of them was dressed in a costume, as the dance class required, and her eyes were wide from the awe some of them instilled. There were superheroes, fairies, cartoon characters and goddesses along with some unknown creatures that Katara was sure were born only out of last-minute desperation to find a costume. It was like Halloween, except ten times more exciting because she would be doing what she loved: dancing.

She herself was wearing a simple costume of a flowing red dress accompanied by a veiled hat and red lines on her skin. She had modelled her costume after a river spirit her mother had told her about before she had died. She had mostly chosen the clothes for the veil- remaining hidden for the first couple of lessons seemed like a very good idea- but now that she was wearing it she discovered that the material was very comfortable to be in. She fingered the old straw hat and smiled, thinking of how happy the beggar woman had been to get money for the old thing. This dancing thing was making her feel happy in more ways than she had first thought. And she had the feeling that things would just get better.

A girl wearing angel wings and her friend in a skimpy bunny suit came to stand near Katara. Their heads were bent towards each other, but they were still gossiping loud enough for her to clearly hear what they were saying.

"These days all the new people are freaks," the angel whispered, pulling a grimace.

"I know, right? I mean, it's like he's never spoken to another human before…"

Relief clutched Katara as she realized they were not talking about her. But the relief quickly turned to pity. It seemed she was not the only newcomer, and that the other late starter was already being bullied. She tried to follow where the two girls were glaring, but there were too many people to pinpoint one.

"It was like he was trying so hard to be cool," the bunny giggled, tossing her hair. "The things he said were just… Beyond sad, actually."

"Or he really is just obnoxious."

"No, obnoxious people don't stutter like fools."

"Ugh. And to think we went over there to ask him out…"

"I think he's retarded; that's why he wears that blue mask."

"Or he's like a paedophile or something…"

"Yeah, well, he has the social skills of a child…"

Luckily the class was started right then; Katara's anger had nearly reached its boiling point. Who did those two think they were? The poor guy was probably just shy! What if somebody had overheard the wrong end of their conversation and the Guy In Blue got arrested for being a sexual predator? She really hated snooty gossips like them. She put all her anger into her dancing, and as a result the instructor noticed her. During the half-time break, he called her aside.

"I know you've just started here, but you have great potential. I usually make my students wait at least a year before they can compete but… How about I find you a partner, and instead of going off to the next room for more lessons when we split you stay in here with and practice for the upcoming competition with the rest?"

"C…Competition? Really?"

"Only if you want to. If you feel more comfortable being trained with the rest of the rookies…"

"No! No, I'd love to compete!" Her eyes were shining as she beamed up at the man.

He laughed. "Great, then. Unfortunately all of my regulars are already paired up. But the guy who joined two weeks ago is also a natural, so you two should be great together, okay?"

She nodded and he waved somebody over. Katara's heart sank as a tall man hesitantly made his way to their side. He was wearing simple black clothes that resembled the old ninja uniform, and a tight black hood hid his head. But the thing that made her worried was the large blue mask that covered his face. She instantly scolded herself for her dread. She could not make assumptions about a person from those two gossips! But still she felt uncomfortable.

"Don't worry, we'll start off nice and slow with you two," her instructor told her, clapping the Guy In Blue on the back. "You can come and work in here any time, just book the hall with the secretary. And the _most important _thing is to trust each other. Without that, you will never dance; you will just do silly little moves."

He walked away and an awkward silence fell over them. Katara looked at her feet and drew little patterns on the floor. They stood that way for a long while before she could take no more.

"So we're going to compete together." She made her voice as bright as possible.

The masked head nodded slowly. For the first time she looked into the eye holes, which were just big enough to show her that his eyes seemed to be an amber colour. _They're really pretty_… she thought to herself before she could stop, and she looked away with a blush.

"So… uhm… do you enjoy dancing?"

He seemed to hesitate before he nodded again, even slower this time.

"Have you been doing it for long?"

This time the mask shook from side to side. She was getting rather exasperated with his lack of responses. From what she'd heard from the other two, he had no shortage of words. So why wasn't he speaking to her? She placed one hand on her hip and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Do you speak at all?" Again he shook his masked head, and Katara was so surprised that her hand dropped from her hip. "Not at all? Any time?" Another negative answer, and she blinked. "Oh… Sorry…"

So the person she was with was not the man the other two had met. Or he was, and had suddenly lost his voice. _That's ridiculous_ she scolded herself. _Stop being pathetic and give the poor guy a chance_.

When the break ended Katara went willingly with her new partner, and smiled encouragements to him as often as she could. It was only when her cheeks started aching that she realized how long it had been since she had smiled. In fact, that night was like an awakening for her: she felt again. Her heart was no longer iced over, but very slightly beginning to thaw. And it was all thanks to the dancing.

Her partner was not a bad dancer, but he was clearly no more experienced than her. They made plans (or at least she told him of her suggestions and he nodded) to meet as often as they could to practice. Now that she had something to look forward to, returning home did not seem like such a bad thing. Just before they both left the hall, Katara caught his arm.

"I don't even know your name yet," she said shyly.

He hesitated for a long moment, then grabbed a flyer and a pen from a nearby table and wrote something on the back before handing it to her. On the strip of white paper was one name, written in neat handwriting.

_The Blue Spirit_.

She smiled. "My costume is based off a spirit, too," she told him softly. "But you can call me Katara."

She could not see his lips, but she knew he was smiling at her.

-x-x-x-

Weeks passed. Katara's dancing greatly improved, and the more she danced the happier she became. All her old friends noticed the change in her, and they all secretly breathed sighs of relief. They had been worried she would stay reserved and enclosed forever, but instead she was becoming the Katara they all knew and loved again. With her dance classes taking up so much time, Katara rarely saw her husband. She had felt a little guilty at first, but then she learnt that he was working on a huge project that kept him busy all the nights she was away in any case, and she felt better. She had, however, noticed him looking at her, and she knew he could detect the change in her as well as any of her friends. Once or twice she caught herself wondering what he thought about her sudden explosion back to her old self.

The Blue Spirit's dancing got better along with hers. In the beginning it had been rather awkward between them, but very soon they learnt to trust each other and a strong bond formed. She had thought that his silence would mean no proper conversation between them, but she was proved wrong almost at once. By their second dance class together he had bought himself a notepad, and he quickly learnt to multi-task so he could write and do something else at the same time. Katara found that his views and opinions, while not always the same as her own, were valid and interesting. And although he never removed his mask in front of her no matter how hot he got, she never bothered him about his identity. To her the blue face did not matter: she liked the heart beneath it.

She started to look forward to seeing him as much as she looked forward to the dancing.

When it was time for the local festival, she found herself asking him to go with her before she'd thought things through. It was only after he'd accepted that she remembered about her husband. It was as if her home life and her dance life were two different worlds, and she had never given thought to how her actions with the strange Blue Spirit could be perceived as dishonourable. With great guilt in her heart she quietly asked Zuko if he wanted to go that night at dinner. A bit of her hated her heart for being so relieved when he apologetically told her he had to work that day. She brushed the feelings away and let herself be excited.

He was waiting for her at the start of the festival grounds, and she was not surprised to see he was wearing his mask. Nobody stared at him, though; there were plenty of others dressed up. The day started out pleasantly and it only continued to get better. The Blue Spirit seemed to know exactly what she wanted to see and through note writing and their own special brand of sign language they enjoyed it all together. Halfway through the day she told him sternly to go and find something _he _wanted to do for a change, and she found herself at a sword display. To her complete and utter surprise, she enjoyed the show immensely, and she could feel him laugh silently beside her as he saw the look of awe on her face.

Heading back through the crowed they nearly got separated and so he linked her arm with his. His body heat was more than just a little pleasant, and she tried hard not to blush. Suddenly a woman appeared before them, and she offered Katara a bracelet made from string with a toothless smile. She stared at the colourful bracelet, but could not make herself take it. For the symbolic ceremony behind the string was not new to her: she had tied a bracelet around her brother's arm almost every year. But that was what the entwined strings symbolised: whoever wore them was viewed as a brother. And her mind rebelled against the image of her tying that bracelet around The Blue Spirit's arm. She shook her head politely, and refused to look at her companion as they walked on, fully aware of his confusion at her denial.

He knew she was married, after all. So he should see no reason why she would not see him as a brother. She had no right to see him as anything more. And yet… She had to admit to herself that she had been wrong before: it wasn't the dance that was making her heart thaw. It was him. The wonderful, charming, gentle man beside her. She grit her teeth against the thoughts. They could not be in her head. There was no love left for her in this life, and she was already married.

Then, as they were about to head for the exit, she saw something and stopped with a gasp of delight. The most beautiful teddy bear she had ever seen smiled at her from a table. She aawed and tugged her companion closer to it to ask how much it was.

"Sorry, love, but it's not for sale. It's a prize, see. For whoever comes third in the eating contest." He looked at her apologetically.

Katara's face fell, but then suddenly an idea came to mind. She turned to The Blue Spirit with hope in her eyes. "Could you…?"

His masked face looked blankly back at her and she bit her lip. Of course he couldn't; he couldn't eat with the mask on. How could she have even asked that of him? Her head began to drop in shame, but her partner's hands flashed suddenly and the gesture pulled her eyes back up. Wait here, his palms told her, before he gently unhooked himself from her and ran off. She blinked after him before standing on her tiptoes, trying hard to see where he was. After a while she gave up and just stood still, waiting for him to return.

The competition started before he returned, and with a sigh she turned to watch the contestants. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head. The Blue Spirit was standing on the stage next to the other five much larger men. When his name was mentioned, she was the one who screamed the loudest, not even caring when people turned to stare at her. Then her breath caught in her throat when his fingers began to undo his mask. He was going to take it off… He was going to show her… Her hands twisted together in suspense as he pulled the blue mask upwards…

A laugh of relief and disappointment came from her lips: he was wearing another mask under his blue one. The second mask was black and covered his whole face except his mouth. He saw her laughing and he grinned at her. She felt light-headed as she witnessed his smile for the first time: it was breathtaking. She cheered him on as the contest began, and she marvelled at his ability to carry on. By his sixth bowl of food he started to slow, but his body language told her that he was not going to give up. Five bowls later, and Katara was ready to beg him to stop; she was scared he was going to burst. But instead of bursting, he 'out-ate' the man next to him and got third place. Third place, and her adorable teddy bear.

"Thank you," she laughed as he presented it to her, and he gave her the smile that was still very new to her. "Are you feeling okay?"

He shook his head and grimaced, but then took out his handy notepad and wrote on it. _But I'll be fine_.

"Take it easy," she commanded him as they reached the gates. Both of them stood still and looked at each other. He was still carrying his blue mask in his hand, and she noticed for the first time that his skin was a lovely pale white. "Thank you for today. I had fun." The words tasted strange on her lips, but they were true. He nodded his agreement with her statement. "And congratulations on your victory, my warrior."

As quick as she could she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. She almost ran away form him, too scared to look back in case there was rejection on his face. For the first time in over nine months she sang while she cooked. In her joy she cooked a hearty meal for her and her husband, and told him cheerfully that she had really missed cooking it.

Some of her joy disappeared as she watched Zuko eat, though. It seemed to her as though he was forcing his food down. She watched him through slightly narrowed eyes but could not detect any signs of dislike on his face. And yet every bite still seemed deliberate, as though he had to fight against himself to eat each mouthful of the hearty portion she had given him. After he had complimented the food with genuine eyes, however, she put his actions down to his long day at work, and thought nothing more of it. She went to bed early that night and slept without a hitch except for the one time she half awoke to what she thought, in her befuddled state, was the sound of Zuko being sick in the bathroom.

-x-x-x-

Katara stopped with the music, her arms around her partner and her body leaning into his. Both of them were panting, but a slow grin broke across her face as he pulled her upright.

"That was brilliant! We made no mistakes!" she beamed at him.

He nodded vigorously in response and she laughed, twirling around like a little girl in her delight. He held out a hand to stop her and then took out his trusty, and now rather frayed, notebook. She leant right over his shoulder to see what he was writing.

_What are we going to do if we win all that money? _

"I don't know… I haven't really thought about it," she admitted.

They looked at each other for a long while as they both thought. Then suddenly his shoulders tensed, and she knew he'd gotten an idea that both thrilled and terrified him.

"What?" He didn't reply, and she nudged him. "Come on, what?"

Hesitantly, slowly, he wrote the next sentence down, tipping the page so Katara could not see. When he was done he made as if to put the notebook away, shaking his head as he did so, but Katara grabbed the page from him and stepped away from his reaching hands.

_We could use it to elope. _

She stared at his neat handwriting in utter shock, and saw him freeze where he stood. For a long while she did nothing but stare, and then she looked up at him, swallowing hard.

"Do you mean this?" she whispered.

Very, very slowly he nodded. She felt her breathing accelerate, and her hands dropped to her sides. He began to make apologising gestures with his hands, but she grabbed them tightly in her own.

"Let's do it," she whispered. "Tomorrow night after the competition. Even if we don't win, let's just go."

It was his turn to stare at her in shock that was even more pronounced by the blank expression of his mask. Then, suddenly, he scooped her up into his arms and spun her around the room so fast she laughed. He set her back down and she was about to speak when he ripped off his first mask to reveal his black one underneath. She had time to do nothing more than begin to form a questioning frown before his lips were on hers.

Everything exploded in her mind, and she felt herself being shot into the atmosphere. He lifted her up into his arms again, and she crushed herself closer to him. His lips were fiery yet gentle, and they sent a craving so deep into her she thought she would split in two. And as their lips synchronised together she could no longer deny that she loved him. She had been wrong: she could love again. As full and irrevocably as before. She smiled against his lips and banished the slight feeling that something was missing by wrapping her legs around his body.

-x-x-x-

She stared out the window as she waited for him to arrive. She wondered what he thought she was there for: the competition was in only an hour and she was supposed to meet him there. But things had changed, more drastically than she had ever thought was possible. She heard his footsteps and took a deep breath before turning around.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw the tears falling from her eyes. Then he rushed to her side, his fingers stroking her cheeks in concern. He touched her lips in a question that she could very clearly understand.

"No, I'm not hurt," she whispered in a broken voice. "I just… This eloping thing…"

He took out his book and began to write feverishly. She looked over his shoulder again and felt her heart break at the words.

Katara, I love you. Very much. But there's som

She placed her hands over his, stopping the pencil from moving. She shook her head as he tried to free his hands.

"No," she whispered. "It can't happen. We can't happen."

She felt his body stiffen in surprise and shock, and the amber eyes behind the mask were wide and questioning. She smiled through her tears, and squeezed his hands gently in hers.

"I do care for you," she whispered sincerely. "But today… Zuko took me to the church so we could ask blessing from the spirits for our competition today. And… And I…" She sniffed and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. "I was waiting for him outside the church when an old couple came out. The man was helping his wife down the stairs, telling her how beautiful and brave she was. They saw me looking and she smiled at me and told me to look for the one who loved me. Not the one who was in love with me or the one who lusted me, but the one who truly loved me enough to sacrifice everything…"

He began to write again, but she stopped him once more, shaking her head and crying harder now.

"Zuko came out of the church and handed me a lucky charm for tonight. Even though he doesn't understand my love for dancing he still took off work to make sure I got a blessing… And I realized then everything he's done for me. You can't understand," she laughed wetly. "Because you haven't seen. And before this afternoon, I didn't see either. I didn't see everything that he's done for me. He's been so patient and so caring… He's given me everything and shown me nothing but kindness. And all I've done is taken."

The Blue Spirit made as if to interrupt, but she carried on. "I've always thought of it from my point of view: I was forced to marry him. I never thought about the fact that _he _was forced to marry _me_. He gave up… everything. His hard earned money. His house. His life. He's done it without grudging or expecting anything back and…" She looked her companion straight in the eyes. "I love him for it. I was so caught up in you and my life of fantasy that I didn't see that I love him for what he's done. Not only that, but I… I know I can grow to love him as a person. He's so good inside…"

She let go of his hands and stepped backwards, a genuine smile on her face even though she was still crying. "I'm sorry for leading you on this long; it was wrong of me. You are a wonderful person, and you will find your life-partner one day. It's just not me: I belong to somebody else. I'm just so sorry it took me until this afternoon to realize it. But I know what I was shown: I belong with him. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

She touched the side of his masked face briefly, then turned and walked away. He watched her go and then slowly took off his blue mask. The black one was not on his face, and he stood by the window and watched her go with an expression of pure and utter shock.

-x-x-x-

Thousands of faces stared up at her, and Katara tasted true fear on her tongue. She swallowed and nervously fiddled with her costume, which was a smarter version of her dance class costume. She could feel the red lines begin to smudge because of her sweat and she grimaced. The announcer suddenly bounded onto stage right next to her and she jumped.

"And now!" he roared, swinging his arms around wildly. "Our last two contestants! Please welcome The Painted Lady!" The spotlight landed right on her, and she tried not to pass out. "And the Blue Spirit!" Another spotlight ignited on the other side of the stage, but there was nobody standing in it. Silence reined and the announcer blinked. "The Blue Spirit!" he tried again, but nobody appeared.

"He's not coming," Katara whispered to him, a catch in her voice. "It's just going to be a solo tonight."

The announcer raised a manicured eyebrow at her, but then shrugged and left the stage with a theatrical bow. Katara turned her face back to the crowed and tried not to panic. There were some places that she could simply not do the dance without her partner, so she'd have to improvise. She just hoped she wouldn't make a complete fool of herself.

The familiar music started and she made her opening move, gracefully ducking to the middle of the stage. She shut her eyes as she held her pose, imagining the Blue Spirit's answering move. He would have struck out towards her with a powerful kick and his hand would have met hers in the middle…

A hand laced into hers and she opened her eyes in shock. Her eyes only widened when she saw who was holding her hand.

"Zuko?" she asked him in confusion, wondering what had happened that he had climbed onto the stage with her.

But he did not answer. Instead he gently yet firmly spun her out and then back towards him again in one sharp and precise movement. As her back touched his front she realized with a jolt that the move did not seem new at all. Zuko's hand cradled her side gently and she fell automatically back. As he rolled her back up she caught his heat and smell and they did not seem out of place either: they were exactly the same feelings and smells as every other time she had done the dance.

Zuko spun her out again and it all slowly started to click into place. She danced the steps her body was so used to, but her mind was not on the stage. It was too busy piecing together the clues that should have been so obvious. Why her dancing nights and Zuko's work nights were always at exactly the same time. Why he had been limping for the first few weeks after she had joined the dance classes. Why he had not complained the night she had fallen asleep before cooking supper. Why The Blue Spirit never let her hear his voice. Why his amber eyes were such an odd colour, they looked more like gold under the shadow of a mask. Why Zuko had struggled to eat her delectable food on the day of the festival. Why The Blue Spirit had given her everything she'd wanted just like Zuko had.

It had been him all along.

The music came to a striking conclusion, and she flung her arms around her husband and leant into his body, the movement feeling right in her very soul. The audience burst into applause, but she did not tear her eyes away from her partner, who was panting as much as she was. The curtain closed them off from the rest of the world and she slowly untangled herself from him.

"All this time…"

"I'm sorry." His voice was choked. "I didn't mean for it to… I…"

"What were you going to do? Disappear off the face of the earth and live as a masked man forever?"

He shook his head. "I was going to tell you the truth tonight." He dug in his pocket and fished out a folded piece of paper. "These are the papers for my house. I was… I was going to give it all to you and then have the company transfer me far away… You would have had all the luxuries without the misery of a loveless house…" He looked at the ground. "You still could. I'll… I'll give it all to you without a second's hesitation if-"

She stood on her toes and kissed him, right there on the centre of the stage. His bewilderment showed in his eyes as well as on his still lips. She smiled gently at him.

"I meant what I said to The Blue Spirit. I love Zuko, my husband. And if he'll give me another shot…"

His hand stroked her cheek gently. "I love you, Katara. I have for a long, long time. That's why I selfishly agreed to marry you when I was given the chance… But I… I don't know how to be The Blue Spirit… I can only be Zuko…"

She placed her fingers over his lips. "That's more than I could ever ask for," she whispered. "You've been so good to me… I'm so sorry I didn't see…"

He leant down and gently kissed her again. And this time she could not find a single thing that felt wrong about kissing him. It was then that the stage men got impatient and shooed them to the wings. Zuko blushed at their leers, and she had to giggle. His shyness was sweet; why had she never noticed that before?

"You danced beautifully tonight," he whispered to her as they hid behind the curtain.

She beamed at him. "So did you. But I don't understand this part… I thought you didn't like this sort of thing?"

He shrugged. "It was the only way I could think of to get close to you. I just wanted to be in the background so I could see you totally happy. And then fate decided to make us partners…"

She shook her head in wonder, and then opened her mouth to ask him if they would continue dancing. But at that moment they were announced as the winners of the competition, and hands were pulling their bewildered bodies onto the stage. The crowed was delighted by the decision of the judges and gave them a standing ovation while Zuko dumbly took the trophy and Katara clutched the envelope.

While the announcer made his end speeches Katara leaned up to Zuko's good ear. "How about we use the money to elope?" she whispered. "We could go anywhere we wanted and start again."

"I know this great house we could stay in," he murmured back. "It's got clothes that will fit both of us and everything."

"That sounds wonderful," she breathed. "And then we can use the money for the most special part of eloping."

He frowned. "And what would that be?"

She giggled in his ear. "A honeymoon. Somewhere neither of us has been."

"You tell me where you want to go, and I'll take you there," he promised her, looking her straight in the eyes as confetti fell around them.

"You want to know where I _really _want to go?" He nodded. She slipped her hand into his and held tightly. "I want to go home. With you."


	8. Storm

Day Seven: Storm

* * *

**Summary: **The ride back to Ember Island after she'd faced Yon Rha meant much more to Katara than she would ever tell anybody. And when, years later, it's Zuko who needs help with his mother, she can do nothing except be the one to help him through the storm.

**AN: **Originally this was much shorter and, in my opinion, much crappier. Then my muse decided to save me somewhat and the beginning bit shot into my mind. It's still crappy, but it has its redeeming bits. Or maybe not? Review and tell all, pretty please =) Thanks to all who supported Zutara Week and, especially, my fic. I love you guys. And I'll see all of you next year, eh?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Avatar or Zutara Week or anything remotely awesome that would make me squeal in joy.

* * *

The rain that had started when they confronted Yon Rha had steadily worsened until they were flying in an outright storm. At first Zuko had let Katara be, but as the lightning grew more dangerous he crawled onto Appa's head beside her and gently took the reins from her numb fingers. She didn't look at him, but she didn't protest either. Zuko flew them close to the ground until he spotted a large outcrop of rock. He landed Appa and the great best moved under the shelter at once, seemingly grateful to be out of the rain. Without a word Katara slipped to the floor, and she began bending the water out of her clothes and hair. Zuko steamed himself dry and then started on Appa, thankful when Katara helped him after a while.

He sighed at the look on the Waterbender's face. Before, he'd been so sure that taking her to her mother's killer would help her and make her hate him less. But now he wasn't so sure. Her eyes were so _broken _and so fragile, nothing like the points of blue fire they usually were. Despite his words and actions he'd known right from the beginning that she would not kill Yon Rha. She wasn't like that. She wasn't like him. But he'd thought that she would gain closure from facing him, not more pain.

The silence stretched on and Katara did nothing but watch the rain. Finally, Zuko could take it no longer.

"I'm sorry, Katara," he mumbled, very aware that all he seemed to do was apologize to her. "It was a bad idea to take you to the Southern Raiders…"

She didn't turn to him, but her head bowed even more. Silence returned, and Zuko knew that he wouldn't be able to break it again. He turned back to Appa but was stopped in his tracks by her voice.

"I needed this," she said quietly. "I needed to find him and put it to rest. But now… I have all this anger in me and I… I don't know what to do with it." Her voice broke. "I want to take it out on something. _Anything_. But you're the only one around and I… I can't be mad at you anymore. I just can't."

He slowly crouched down next to where she was sitting, and for the first time in a long while she looked at him. Her eyes were sad and angry, but the anger was not directed at him anymore. And he realized, with a jolt of relief and joy, that she had forgiven him. The mission had been a success; she would no longer hate him for his past. But the relief was short-lived because she was his friend now, and seeing his friend so hurt…

"What if I do something to make you mad?" he asked her quietly. "Then you'll have an excuse to let it all out."

Her gaze did not waver from his as she hesitated, searching his sincerity and her own feelings. Then her face hardened.

"Do it. Do something really outrageous; the most extreme thing you can think of. Bend at me mercilessly or… or take Appa and leave me stranded here or… tie me to something…"

She was searching desperately, the tears not far away. Zuko watched her rant while he thought. She needed something truly unexpected and wrong. But what could he do to her in a tiny little cave in the middle of nowhere that would be enough cause for her to completely explode? He glanced at the rock and saw an engraving two lovers had made a long time ago and an idea clicked into his mind. Uncle had always said that forcing yourself upon a woman was the best way to get their scorn…

"Or hit me!" Katara's gaze was on him again, and she was pleading him with fierce eyes. "Hit me really, really hard so that… I dunno… so that something breaks or…"

Pushing away all his fear, alarm, mortification and dread, Zuko gently caught her chin in his hand. She stopped talking out of shock. Before he had time to back out or think about the utter absurdity of what he was about to do, Zuko leant all the way in and placed his lips on hers.

As her flesh touched his he knew that what he had felt in Ba Sing Se had not been imagined or fleeting. He knew that there was no point in trying to deny any of it any longer; he liked the Waterbending peasant a lot more than he should. That was why he had been scared and confused enough to choose Azula over Aang. That was why going off to find the Avatar had been so easy. That was why her forgiveness had been one of the most important things to him. That was why kissing her felt like something had exploded in him, but in a way too glorious to even find in his imagination.

The kiss lasted an infinite few seconds, and then he pulled back again. "I don't hit girls," he told her stunned face.

The shock intensified, and then it started to change. The rage, mortification and humiliation that appeared in its place were so great that he actually felt his stomach clench in fear. Well. She'd have no problem getting her mounds of anger out now.

"How dare you!" Katara screeched, her face like black thunder. "You… You…" Zuko had begun to back away, smart enough to know that the anger that had her temporarily speechless would soon explode into physical violence. "You _creep_!" she yelled, sending the contents of her water skin at him in the form of a whip.

"You wanted something outrageous," Zuko couldn't help but defend.

"That wasn't outrageous! That was… That was…" She couldn't seem to find a word obscure enough to define his sin. "It was _beyond _outrageous! I… Aang! Oh! You…"

She turned to the falling rain and began to bend it towards her, and Zuko knew he would have to fight back if he wanted to stay alive. The battle was a long and intense one, and even though he used his fire to fend her off, he still got pretty bruised from ducking and diving away. She shot water at him in more forms that he'd ever even imagined before, and the stream of verbal abuse never halted either. He was nearly impaled by a shard of ice at least five times, and after the second near-miss Appa decided that outside was actually safer than under the rock. Zuko didn't blame him for leaving; Katara was worse than any storm he would ever face.

Finally she ran out of steam, and her last act was to smack him against the furthest wall of rock with a surprise wave. Zuko shook his head, slightly dazed, and then slowly got to his feet, watching Katara wearily in case she found her second wind. But the Waterbender seemed to be out of fight and continued to stare at the falling rain while he dusted himself off. He started to go and fetch Appa, but her hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. He turned in surprise, but she was not looking at him. There was a peculiar look on her flushed face, as though she was ashamed and guilty about something but that she wasn't going to stop doing whatever it was just because it was wrong.

"Again." She lifted her eyes to meet his. "Kiss me again."

Without question Zuko pulled her closer and placed his lips on hers again. She sighed against him and before he knew what was happening her hands were trailing up his arms and stroking his cheeks and neck and his hands were fisted into her glorious brown hair. And suddenly she was deepening the kiss, but it was not out of anger like he expected it to be. Instead it was a pure sort of desperation that had her pulling him closer and wrapping her arms more firmly around his neck. It was then that Zuko fully became aware that she was shorter than him. He longed to pick her up but he didn't want to push his luck, and so instead he bent closer to her, slowly and gently pushing them both to the ground, where they would be on the same level…

Appa seemed rather miffed at them as they flew back to Ember Island, but whether he was mad about having to sleep in the rain or about their actions neither could tell. They were both utterly silent, and they even refused to look at each other. But it went without saying that what happened that night would remain a tight-lipped secret. Both of them knew even the mention of what had happened to anybody else would make many people very unhappy. And although all they had done was kissed and fallen asleep in each other's arms they weren't naive enough to think that nobody would think something more happened.

Without a word Katara jumped to the ground, but Zuko did not follow. Instead he pulled Appa into the sky again and flew off. Katara watched him go with so many emotions in her, it felt like she would explode. It was as though a storm had started inside her chest, and it was billowing with emotions both good and bad in one twisting hurricane. Sadly she sat on the jetty and dipped her feet into the water and played over the few wonderful moments of the evening. The evening that had calmed the turmoil of her mother, but that had started another turmoil almost as quickly.

It was there on the jetty that Aang found her and praised her for not killing the man she knew she truly hated. And it was there on that jetty that she hugged the teen that had held her while she had cried and slept. And the private look they shared held more weight than any words she could speak.

-x-x-x-

Katara paused while closing the drapes to look in awe at the coming storm. It promised to be ferocious and very powerful, and even the sight of it sent shivers down her spine. She knew she was safe in the well-equipped Fire Nation palace, but the fear could not be rationalized away. As she pulled the last bit of the fine silk across the window, the clouds broke and the rain started to pelt down, swirling everywhere in the wind that had been slowly making its presence known in the last hour or so. She turned to the chest at the foot of her bed to fetch another cloak, but her actions were stopped by a frantic knock on the door. Before she could open her mouth the person entered, and her stomach instantly dropped at the look on Iroh's face.

"He went," the old general almost moaned. "In a single boat that we have no hope of catching-"

"I'll get him," she promised at once, already heading towards the door. "My Waterbending is faster than his sailing."

Iroh gave her a grateful look and she squeezed his shoulder as she slipped past. As she ran towards the Fire Nation harbor, she found she was not surprised Zuko had sneaked off. He had always been almost obsessive towards the things he really wanted, and she doubted he'd ever wanted anything more than to have is mother back. He had been so excited when Ozai finally gave up the information of her whereabouts. And then his uncle had told him that he couldn't go right away, because of the coming storm and the unreliability of the source. She knew Iroh was right, but she also understood Zuko's disobedience; she would have done the same thing.

Reaching the harbor she scanned the rough gray sea for a long while until she spotted his boat. It was a long way out, and it was already being tossed about dangerously. Fear gripped her; if she couldn't reach him in time… She grit her teeth and summoned a wave of water under her feet, making it roll towards Zuko's boat. But the going was slow; she was working against the current of the mighty ocean. Desperation kept her from stopping her onslaught even for a second, but it was still a long and exhausting time before she reached the little ship.

"Zuko!" She could barely hear herself over the raging storm as he hauled herself tiredly onto the rolling deck. "Zuko!"

She spotted him wrestling with his sail and she rushed over to help without another word. He jumped in surprise when he saw her, but after giving her a long, hard look he just went back to trying to get the sail under control. The boat's deck rolled again, and Katara knew they were fighting a losing battle.

"It's no use!" she yelled right in his ear. "We have to get back to the shore!" He stiffened, but she spun him around to face her firmly. "You'll do no good to her if you're dead!" she yelled.

Another staring contest began, and this time she won. Zuko's shoulders slumped and he let go of the rope. Gently Katara took his hand and led him to the side of the frantically rolling boat, where she pulled up another wave for them to ride on. If Zuko was nervous about stepping off solid ground onto pure water he didn't show it, and soon they were on their way back to shore, this time riding with the current.

They were about three meters away from dry ground when the roaring wave caught her by surprise and knocked both of them into the thrashing sea. She tried to stay calm and put a bubble around herself but her hands got entangled on seaweed and her panic and disorientation just made things worse. Desperately she tried to swim upwards, tugging at her hold as she did. But she didn't move an inch and blackness finally closed around her.

Zuko saw her thrashing and he struck out for the surface, gulped down a huge lungful of air, and then dived under the ferocious waves again. The current battered him to and fro, but he kept striking out towards Katara until he finally reached her. His numb fingers pulled out his ever-trusty dagger and he cut the unconscious girl loose before beginning a slow yet frantic assent. His first gasping breath nearly drowned him as a wave broke directly on him, but he managed to find the surface again and coughed out all the water as he gulped in oxygen. Holding Katara firmly to his side he began to swim with the towering waves towards the beach, being dunked every now and then but never giving up.

Finally he dragged them both onto the wet rock, utterly exhausted. For a few moments he lay there and breathed, but then he forced himself to his feet to help Katara. Pulling her wet hair away from her mouth, he checked her breathing and sighed when he found it was still there. Gently he scooped her up into his aching arms and then carried her towards a cave he knew was just up the shoreline. Inside he instantly steamed both of them dry, and then looked around for something to burn so he could start a fire. There was nothing in sight, and so he created a flame on his palm instead and then sat beside the Waterbender, trying not to stare at her anxiously too often.

At last she stirred and sat up slowly, confusion on her face. Then she started to put two and two together and she felt her dry clothes with a sort of awe. Zuko watched all of this from the corner of his eye; he couldn't bring himself to look directly at her. She finally stopped her scrutiny and turned directly to face him. The silence stretched on.

"I'm sorry, Katara." His voice was raw from the salt water.

In reply she wrapped her arms around him tightly and rested her head on his shoulder. He resisted for a second, but then slumped down into her with his head on top of hers. He would not cry, but he knew she felt his sorrow. After a long time of them just sitting and watching the storm she suddenly punched him on the shoulder.

"You could have killed yourself!" she scolded him hotly.

"I know." He used his free hand to rub his face tiredly. "I just…"

"Didn't think things through. As usual."

"And I was ready to face the storm," he added quietly, staring at the falling rain. "It was just another obstacle keeping me from her. I'd be able to fight it, to get rid of all my anger while facing it…"

She silently moved to the mouth of the cave and, bending the rain away from her, rummaged around outside. She dragged back a branch of a tree and bended it dry before placing it in front of Zuko. He lit the sturdy wood and she sat next to him again, watching the flames as he was.

"You know, the spirits seem to think we like meeting in caves," she said suddenly. "While in a storm. And talking about our mothers."

The tiniest ghost of a smile appeared on his lips. "And in every time I'm the fool."

She looked at him steadily. "If you want, I can do something to make you mad. That way you can take it all out on me."

He looked directly at her, and her eyes seemed to gleam in the fire. Before he could give his consent her lips were on his, and he felt the emotions he'd locked far away tear back into his body. And, like on the first night all those months ago, they couldn't seem to get close enough to each other. Their lips were bruised when Zuko finally managed to pull his mouth away.

"This isn't making me mad," he gasped at her.

"It helped heal the storm inside of me," she explained quietly.

He stroked her cheek lightly. "But it just creates another in me. Katara… you're more to me than just-"

She placed a hand over his mouth. "I know. I love you too. I've lived with that since the first time you kissed me and… and I'm sick of keeping it bottled up."

He was kissing her again, feeling the turmoil and pain inside him lesson as the girl in his arms held him. And this time he did not fight the urge to lift her right off the ground so that she was crushed gently to his chest and nothing else. The thunder and lightning went unnoticed as they healed each other with their lips and touches, but the end of the storm made them stop and stare outside in muted awe.

Katara looked at him with a question in her eyes: were they keeping this one silent too? In response Zuko grabbed her hand firmly in his and then tugged her into the light drizzle and under the brilliant rainbow that marked the ending of more than one storm.


End file.
